Tourist beaten, robbed of iPad on beach

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- A tourist is talking about how he was attacked and robbed of his iPad by some violent crooks Monday afternoon.

Miami Beach Police would soon capture three suspects after they crashed their getaway car.

Gerd Niels, 25, was visiting Miami Beach from Germany. He was using his iPad to take pictures of the area for his girlfriend when the crooks came up from behind and snatched it.

Niels said he was elbowed and nearly knocked down to the ground. "It was a hard hit," he remembers.

He got up to try and run after his attackers, but they climbed into a waiting sport utility vehicle and sped away. "I tried to get him, but he was too fast," said Niels.

The crooks would not get very far, though. They crashed into a car and then a light pole before landing their SUV on its side, near Dade Boulevard and Michigan Avenue.

Police were in pursuit and placed Schnaider Fontilus, Amiran Smith and Scott Kinler Jr. in custody. Police never found Niels' iPad, however.

Niels could not believe he would be the victim of such a violent robbery in the middle of the day, in broad daylight. "I was shocked and afraid," he said. "You never think something like this could happen to you."

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