Crook breaks into home with tire iron

SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (WSVN) -- A crook barged in to a Southwest Miami-Dade home in broad daylight using a tire iron.

The family came home to find their belongings on the ground, and their house turned upside down. "There were gold chains and bracelets here," said a teenager who lives in the house.

Surveillance cameras were rolling as the crook reached the side of the house with a tire iron in hand.

"When we saw the door open," said the girl. "Our first thought was, 'Oh, my God, the TVs, the computer,' everything like that. We didn't even think about the safety box at first."

The robber made his way to the master bedroom where the thief took cash, jewelry, and the family's personal documents. The daughter said all their information was in that safety box. "Our papers, our Social Security cards, our birth certificates, my parent's residency documents, everything."

Another surveillance camera in the home caught the thief running out the door dragging the safety box across the ground, and he didn't act alone. Police said he had an accomplice.

"With everything that they got, they could steal our identity," said the girl. "They could basically mess up our lives."

But the crime was far from perfect. The crooks left behind a vital clue, their weapon of choice: a tire iron. "We were sitting down just talking about what had happened," said the girl, "and we moved one of the pillows and found the tire iron on the couch."

The family is now trying to pick up the pieces while trying to figure out why someone would do this.

If you have any information on this break-in, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward.

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