(Credit: CBS Miami)
It’s a bad day to be a Ninja in South Florida. Since May of this year, two men dressed as Ninjas have been robbing convenience stores and gas stations in North Miami Beach and North Miami, some of them twice! Their crime spree eventually ended in Hollywood after robbing a couple of businesses in Broward County, where they were taken down by “a multi-agency task force,” according to CBS News. This special task force was comprised of the North Miami Beach and Aventura Police Departments, and the Broward Sheriff’s Office, with help from the FBI, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the South Florida Violent Crime Task Force, as reported in the Sun Sentinel.
Now that these violent criminals are off the streets and awaiting justice, none of this would have happened if it hadn’t been for the North Miami Beach Police Department’s excellent detective work. An email I received regarding the bust stated:
“Detective Camacho, began to critically examine these robbers tactics, habits, patterns, and M.O. for any video surveillance evidence in an effort to gain any clues as to the identity of the masked Ninja Robbers. Through the assistance of several NMBPD Detectives and Street Crimes Detective who were also assigned to follow up on these robberies, Camacho was able use excellent investigative skills, and a tireless effort to actually began to close in on the subjects identity as well as the car they were driving. This information was presented to Chief Gomer and a full commitment was made to apprehend these subjects as a armed robbery intervention detail was formed and the detail was worked into the early morning hours. On Friday, 09-07-2012, the Street Crimes Unit, along with NMBPD SRT apprehended the two “Ninja Robbers” after they just committed another armed robbery at another convenient store at 2155 hrs in Dania, FL. The subjects vehicle, a black BMW 745LI was taken down a block away from their apartment on Jackson Street and A1Ain Hollywood. The subjects still had the money in their pockets from the robbery as well as the firearm and the Ninja clothes in the car. Through the professionalism and dedication of many, these subjects are now in custody and facing long term federal sentencing.
Acknowledgement and Special Thanks to:
Street Crimes Unit
Detective Bureau
NMB Special Response Team
NMB Patrol Officers
NMB K-9 Unit
Communications
FDLESpecial Thanks to Captain Marcainte, Major Katerman, and Chief Gomer for their leadership and dedication.
This ultimately was the very definition of a team effort by this agency in ultimately and definitively addressing and apprehending two armed and violent serial robbers that posed one the biggest threats to the safety of everyone in this South Florida community.”
Since the arrests last weekend took place in Hollywood, the Broward Sheriff’s Office is getting the lion’s share of the credit for the bust. The FBI is also grabbing the spotlight. But major kudos are due to our own North Miami Beach Police Department for its outstanding work in solving this crime and helping bring the infamous Ninja Robbers down. Thank you, NMBPD!
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
Thank you Stephanie for giving our NMBPD the publicity they deserve in the take down of these nemesis in our society. We are proud of our PD!
While credit should be given where due, the letter provided by NMBPD fails to address how it was the officer actually figured out their identities or their vehicle, which leads to all sorts of questions. Like how these two were able to run amok for so long. That they end a crime spree does not suggest that they ended it in a timely manner.
There were news crews outside the KWIK stop on 19th Ave down the street from NMB City Hall because the place had been hit, according to one camera man, three times in the last month.
We will not disclose how we came about it (translates to: real detective work), but it was the analysis of various robberies that finally yielded a clue that helped investigators narrow down their lead. Had we been lucky enough to have that clue early on, the sooner these thugs would have been caught.
There’s always an ignorant hater out there that can’t fathom the fact that there are hard working, dedicated cops out there trying to do their jobs.
let’s all pat each other on the back for something we’re not allowed to discuss in public because maybe somehow the truth will penalize us at trial.
What Justice.