Miami police arrest 3 in $30,000 jewelry heist that ended in Brickell Avenue Bridge crash

Miami police have arrested three men accused of stealing more than $30,000 worth of jewelry from a pair of tourists in 2023.

Investigators said the case took years to solve, with help from the FBI and ended on the Brickell Avenue Bridge, where the suspects crashed their getaway car and took off on foot.

According to police, the robbery occurred on June 18, 2023, just before 8:00 a.m., outside the EAST Hotel in Brickell.

Detectives say the three men targeted two tourists leaving the hotel after spotting one of them wearing a large gold chain and Rolex watches.

“They were looking for the right person,” said Miami Police spokesperson Officer Mike Vega. “They saw this man with a big gold chain, saw the expensive watches, and in total it was over $30,000 worth of jewelry that they took from these two victims.”

Getaway car crash left key evidence behind

After the robbery, investigators say the suspects sped off in a black BMW but didn’t get far.

The car lost control and flipped on the Brickell Avenue Bridge, less than a mile away.

Police said all three men ran from the crash, but what they left behind ultimately led to their arrests.

“One of them calls an Uber or Lyft to pick him up and take him home,” Vega explained.

“What they left behind was so much evidence. Number one, the vehicle was registered to one of them. Number two, the gun that was found was actually registered to one of the offenders. And then the next day, one of them calls in to report the gun as stolen — which didn’t make any sense.”