This Memorial Day weekend took a dramatic turn for Pinecrest police officers investigating a vehicle burglary that ended in a chase early Sunday morning, authorities said.
Read more Family seeks $626 million over American pilot’s execution in Cuba
Around 2 a.m., officers conducting a crime prevention patrol spotted a “suspicious gray BMW parked on the wrong side of the roadway” with its lights off on Southwest 66th Avenue, police said.
Driver rams BMW into patrol car
Police say officers continued monitoring the vehicle when they saw “multiple individuals, dressed in black clothing and wearing ski masks,” run from a nearby yard and get into the BMW.
When officers tried to contact the group, police say “the driver intentionally reversed the BMW into the marked police vehicle,” before fleeing the scene at a high rate of speed.
The police pursuit
Police initiated a pursuit northbound on State Road 826, also known as the Palmetto Expressway, but eventually lost sight of the vehicle due to its speed.
Authorities say the BMW later crashed in Broward County, where Hollywood police took one person into custody. The remaining occupants fled on foot.
Read more Affordable Care Act enrollment projected to plunge by 5 million as costs spike, analysis shows
Investigators say the “preliminary investigation revealed the subjects entered an unlocked vehicle parked at the residence.”
Although the home was occupied at the time, residents were asleep and unaware of what was happening outside, authorities said.
Memorial Day weekend safety
“Many families travel during Memorial Day weekend, leaving homes and vehicles vulnerable to opportunistic criminals. Residents are encouraged to lock their vehicles, remove valuables from plain view, activate exterior lighting and security cameras when available, and report suspicious activity immediately,” Pinecrest police said in a statement.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Pinecrest Police Department at (305) 234-2100.
Read more THC beverages gain popularity in South Florida, but new rule could curb growth