04-10-2007, 10:42 PM
A trio of strong-armed robbers who snatched a man's gold chain Tuesday morning while beating him bloody were hunted down by Miami police officers after they turned their stolen SUV down a dead end street, police said.
One of the three was found cowering in a trash bin.
Riding around Little Havana in a stolen Chevy Avalanche about 10 a.m., two of the three leaped out of the SUV and pounced on a man at West Flagler Street and 16th Avenue while the third, a woman, remained in the back seat, police said. They beat the man about the face and grabbed his heavy gold chain.
The victim, who appeared to be in his 40s, resisted, clinging so tightly to the chain that it gouged his hand, police said.
But the robbers eventually pried the jewelry loose and roared off.
A witness saw what was happening and called 911 while the robbery was still happening. The report was broadcast and a Miami police officer who happened to be a block from the robbery saw the Avalanche take off. The pursuit was on.
Rolling down Northwest 11th Street, the trio turned onto 21st Court, which dead ends into the hill abutting State Road 836. They slammed into a guard rail.
One of the three suspects, the woman who had remained in the back seat during the robbery, was captured on the spot. The second suspect jumped over a fence and concealed himself in some bushes. The third jumped into a trash bin.
A perimeter involving about a dozen police cars was set up. All three suspects were arrested.
Police said a recently used crack pipe was found inside the Avalanche.
One of the three was found cowering in a trash bin.
Riding around Little Havana in a stolen Chevy Avalanche about 10 a.m., two of the three leaped out of the SUV and pounced on a man at West Flagler Street and 16th Avenue while the third, a woman, remained in the back seat, police said. They beat the man about the face and grabbed his heavy gold chain.
The victim, who appeared to be in his 40s, resisted, clinging so tightly to the chain that it gouged his hand, police said.
But the robbers eventually pried the jewelry loose and roared off.
A witness saw what was happening and called 911 while the robbery was still happening. The report was broadcast and a Miami police officer who happened to be a block from the robbery saw the Avalanche take off. The pursuit was on.
Rolling down Northwest 11th Street, the trio turned onto 21st Court, which dead ends into the hill abutting State Road 836. They slammed into a guard rail.
One of the three suspects, the woman who had remained in the back seat during the robbery, was captured on the spot. The second suspect jumped over a fence and concealed himself in some bushes. The third jumped into a trash bin.
A perimeter involving about a dozen police cars was set up. All three suspects were arrested.
Police said a recently used crack pipe was found inside the Avalanche.