Police, Venetian Isles Association warn homeowners of burglaries

There have been three home burglaries in the Venetian Islands in the last two weeks, and the leaders of the Venetian Island Homeowner Association are warning residents on how to protect their homes.

Police believe some of the burglaries were done by high-end jewel thieves The Miami Herald wrote about this week, led by two men who drove a Porsche SUV and traveled with children to fit as they cased houses on the Venetian Islands as well as homes on Star and Palm Island and the Sunset Islands.

In a letter to homeowners, association officer Paula Faisal Jimenez told of three incidents (she said robberies, but they were burglaries) during the week of Sept. 10.

Dear Neighbors,

Last week the Venetian Home Owners Association was informed of 3 robberies that happened in our islands during the week of September 10th. The association’s President, Jürgen Brendeland other members contacted the police department and city commissioners to bring their attention to the matter and to ask for some solution to the increment on criminal activity in the area.

Police and city commissioners responded immediately and on that same week members of the Home Owners Association and them where able to meet and discus some ideas and strategies to increase security on the islands and add police presence. Some of these are:

• To provide long-term, stable police coverage for our islands.
• To have Captain Doce and a team of six Sergeants accountable for overseeing an on-going police presence in the areas of Venetian, Purdy, Sunsets and West Avenue.
• To post new Crime Watch signs along the Causeway.
• To install LPR cameras on the Causeway in the near future.

We are confident that all of these factors will hopefully help to deter future crime in the area.

We kindly remind you to please make sure you lock doors and windows when you leave your home, use your alarm system if you have one and report any suspicious activity to the non emergency police Number 305-373-7776.

Miami Beach arrests man suspected in Venetian Isle burglaries

Colon Cortes

Miami Beach police have arrested a man they believe was involved in at least three burglaries on DiLido and San Marino islands.

Jose Javier Colon Cortes, 22, was charged with burglary and grand theft on Feb. 24, according to Pablo Jimenez, Miami Beach Police community resource officer. The arrest is directly linked to three residential burglaries that happened in late 2011 in the 400 block of West DiLido Drive, in the 100 block of DiLido Terrace and in the 200 block of W. San Marino.

There were five burglary incidents on the island in November and December.

In an advisory to the Venetian Islands Homeowner Association, Jimenez said Colon Cortes was stopped on the islands prior to his arrest and interviewed. A wanted flyer with his photo was distributed. “Once he was identified in two of the burglaries, he was seen and detained by a Uniform Patrol Unit in North Beach.”

Jimenez said the stolen property from the burglaries was sold on the streets.

Homeowner Association President Greg Carney said Venetian residents who recognize the photo of Cortes should call Jimenez at 305-673-7776, ext 5314.

Police said Colon Cortes is 5 feet 9 inches tall, 140 pounds, with short wavy hair.

Another DiLido Island burglary alarms Venetian Causeway residents

Venetian Island Homeowner Association leaders are alerting island residents of another burglary on DiLido Island, the fifth in the last two months.

This one happened Wednesday night. A homeowner returning from work discovered their home had been entered through a living room window. Electronics, jewelry and a bicycle was taken.

In November, the homeowner association complained of four burglaries on DiLido.

The homeowner said Miami Beach Police responded quickly on Wednesday. That doesn’t seem to be enough, said Eleanor Carney, wife of Venetian Islands Homeowner Association president Greg Carney,  in an email to island residents on Thursday.

“I am glad to hear that MBPD responded well, but I have to agree that evidently their current efforts are not sufficient,” she wrote. “We heard of another incident within the last few days on DiLido  involving an older couple where a team of crooks tried to con their way into their home. Thank goodness nothing happened there.

The homeower group is asking Miami Beach to provide “additional help in dealing with what appears to be an escalating situation on our islands despite the extra efforts the police are expending.”

 

Venetian Causeway residents to discuss crime, casinos

This is a big week for big issues on Belle Isle, the Venetian Causeway and Miami Beach, with a variety of forums scheduled on topics ranging from the recent DiLido Island burglaries to casino plans for mainland Miami and Miami Beach.

The Venetian Island Homeowner Association holds its general meeting Thursday, Dec. 8, at 6 p.m. at the Miami Beach Police headquarters on Washington Avenue and 11th Street.

The presentation from the police department is supposed to start at 6:30 p.m., VIHA president Greg Carney says,  After that discussion, the homeowner leadership will “discuss the latest information on the proposed Genting Gambling Casino development at the end of the Causeway, the status of various construction projects on our islands, airplane noise” and other issues raised by residents.

So add that meeting to several others upcoming that are specifically geared to the casino issue:

– On Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m., Mayor Matty Bower is holding a forum with residents at the Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Dr.

– On Friday, Dec. 9, at 4 p.m., the Miami Beach City Commission is holding a workshop in Convention Center Hall C, room 134.

– On Saturday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m. til noon, several prominent Miamians in organizations opposed to casinos are holding a presentation at Tony Goldman’s Light Box Theater, 404 NW 26th St., in conjuction with the Urban Environment League of Greater Miami.  Presenters include urban planners, architects, former state Sen. Dan Gelber (head of No Casinos in South Florida) and former Miami-Dade Commissioner Katy Sorenson (head of the Good Government Initiative).

–On Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 5:30 p.m., the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce is holding a gaming forum at the Convention Center in Hall D. To be sure of a seat,  you’ll need to register. You can do that here.  

– On Wednesday, Dec. 14 after 5 p.m., the City Commission is supposed to discuss the official city position on the issue.

Venetian Causeway homeowner leaders warn of burglaries on DiLido Island

There have been four residential burglaries on DiLido Island in the last three weeks, the leaders of the Venetian Island Homeowner Association report, and they are asking island residents to be vigilant.

VHIA president Greg Carney first alerted residents Nov. 13 in an email that mail had been stolen from residents mailboxes on DiLido, and a police report had been filed.

Sunday, Carney’s wife alerted residents that there are now four reported burglaries.

“One appears to have involved a homeless person breaking into a property near the Causeway while the owner had stepped out for about an hour during the day.

“Another daylight incident involved several mopeds being stolen from a locked garage (a beat-up gray pickup truck was seen in the vicinity when this occurred).”

The association is asking Miami Beach Police to increase neighborhood patrols, something that had been discussed with police representatives at the last Venetian Causeway neighborhood meeting.

 

Beach police offer seminar against marine theft

The Miami Beach Police Marine Patrol is having a marine crime prevention symposium today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its headquarters across from Joe Allen at 1790 Purdy Ave.

If you dock a boat at one of the Belle Isle marinas — or behind your home on one of the Venetian Islands — you will get tips on securing your stuff so the bad guys can’t swipe it off the dock. According to an email from Commissioner Ed Tobin,  “samples of theft prevention items (alarms, GPS trackers, lock systems, cameras, etc.) will be displayed.”

City to discuss Venetian Causeway crime

There have been reports of a couple of burglaries recently on Rivo Alto and DiLido islands, and Venetian homeowners have complained to the city, asking for more enforcement.

You’ve seen some of that in the last two weeks, with more patrols and patrol cars on the causeway — some of them, of course, empty decoys.

Wednesday, City Commissioner Ed Tobin has scheduled a discussion of the issue, and is expected to get a report from the city administration on recent incidents, with crime statistics. We’ll update.