A 13-year-old, seen on surveillance video being robbed, is breathing a sigh of relief. The accused thief who stole from him is now behind bars.
"Out of nowhere, a guy comes from the back and I thought it was a family member or something," the victim said.
But it wasn't family, it was an armed robber. Surveillance video recorded that man in a white hoodie, striking fear into the teen for his jewelry.
"He took my chain, he threatened me with a gun and he was telling me to get the bracelet but I didn't have enough time and he just ripped it off and ran," the victim explained.
The incident happened last month, but this week, police identified and arrested 32-year-old Alfredo Garcia for the crime. He faces numerous charges of armed robbery and battery.
Video shows him snagging a necklace off the teen's neck, then demanding his bracelet. He allegedly flashed a gun and ordered the rest of the jewelry.
"I've never seen that guy in my life. I didn't know what was going to happen," the victim said.
Local
Miami Police said Garcia is responsible for a string of robberies in the city. They said he's hit up multiple convenience stores and restaurants, and in each case, demands the goods and flashes a gun.
"I could have ended up getting shot or injured," the victim said. "He should learn from what he did. That wasn't right."
Detectives believe Garcia may be the suspect in other open cases as well. If you have any information, call Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
