Miami

Video of $500,000 Miami Jewelry Theft Released

"I had pretty much everything I own in there," the victim said

The Miami Police Department released surveillance video of the theft in which a suspect stole more than $500,000 worth of merchandise from the rental car of a jeweler.

The theft of cash and other valuables occurred Saturday at 709 NW 42nd Ave.

NBC 6 spoke to the victim, Mark Santiago, earlier this week. The Atlanta jeweler said he and his friend were robbed of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of items, including Rolex watches.

Santiago and his friend traveled from Atlanta to a jewelry expo on Saturday. After spending all day at the convention center in Miami, the jewelers went car shopping at a nearby dealership.

"We never stopped anywhere. Nobody knows what we had in the car," Santiago, who believes he and his friend were followed, said.

The men spent about 20 minutes speaking to a car salesman before walking back to their rental vehicle, Santiago said.

"I had pretty much everything I own in there. Cash, jewelry, watches – a bunch of watches – Rolex watches," Santiago said.

The suspect is described as a clean-shaven Hispanic male who is about 30 years old and about 6 feet tall. He was last seen wearing a gray hoodie sweater, a white Nike undershirt, a gray and black New York Yankees baseball cap and gray pants with an “Adidas” label printed on them.

"Detectives reviewed video surveillance footage of the incident, which captured a Silver newer model Nissan Rogue pulling up behind the victim’s unoccupied parked rental vehicle," police said in a statement. "The suspect, a Hispanic male, then exited the rear passenger side of the getaway vehicle and proceeded to break into the victim’s vehicle."

The suspect opened the trunk via the hatch and is seen on video taking the bag that held Santiago's valuables. The suspect then returned to his vehicle where an accomplice waited for him before fleeing, police said.

Santiago "immediately checked the vehicle’s trunk, to discover the bag with over $500,000 worth of merchandise and U.S. currency was gone," police added.

Anyone with information is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

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