Miami

Thieves Target Miami Gardens Construction Site Multiple Times

Construction workers at a new Miami Gardens gas station say they've been the victims of repeated thefts of tools, machine and other equipment.

A RaceWay gas station is being built at the location at Northwest 137th Street and Northwest 37th Avenue. A job for anyone is of course a valuable commodity but especially in Miami Gardens where the city has been looking far and wide for employment for its residents.

Tyrone Jack, who lives not far away, is on the job in Miami Gardens. He's been employed much of the summer as the gas station and food market goes up. Trouble is some of what he needs to get the work done is gone.

"We came to work Monday morning and all the tools were gone out the trailer. It's been like the 5th break-in so far," Jack said.

"Well, this last time we lost a lot. We lost welding machines, generators, threading machines," Roger Marler said.

The workers say thieves broke the lock on the container where they keep their work tools and made off with them. They said there have been multiple burglaries at the site and they're slowing down the project.

"We have been here eight weeks and we've been hit six times so far. Vehicle damage, theft, vandalism," Marler said.

The contractor estimates more than $20,000 worth of items have been taken. The head of the team said it's frustrating because the project will ultimately bring employment and service to the neighborhood and the thefts are inhibiting that outcome.

"I realize once it's open it provides jobs for the community but in the process of building we feed hundreds of families in the process of building one of these jobs," Marler said. "I would like to see a little bit more community involvement. Obviously the last time we got hit Monday night it had to have created a lot of racket. It hat to have taken a pretty good amount of of time."

Miami Gardens police have been out to the location. They're doing what they can to try and find out who has been targeting the job site and they are trying to get more specifics about exactly what was taken in the last burglary.

Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

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