CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Surveillance video captured a busy burglar as he broke into several businesses in the same Coral Gables shopping center, all in the same night.
Police have since linked that same culprit to a violent holdup that happened at Aventura Mall.
That armed robbery in Aventura happened in October. Fortunately, neither of the victims were injured in that case, but police say that was just the beginning of a crime spree where the suspect would then break into several businesses like a smoke shop in Coral Gables.
In surveillance video obtained by Local 10 News, police said 22-year-old Andrew Mitchell is who is seen breaking into the smoke shop of Merrick Way in early November.
The video shows Mitchell walking out of the store with his hands filled with merchandise.
The smoke shop was just one of four businesses police said he broke into on the same night.
Those businesses included the Lovely Eyebrows Spa, the Mayte Nardo Hair Salon and the Pincho Factory restaurant. His motive appeared to be the same - searching for cash and smashing the front doors of shops to do it.
“We just walked into the morning and the whole strip, the glass was shattered and broken,” said Pincho Factory Manager Jonathan Braswell.
Investigators quickly learned the burglaries were just the part of a crime spree that began with violence.
Aventura police said Mitchell was also captured on surveillance video following a couple in the parking garage of Aventura Mall. It’s there detectives said he’s seen pulling out a gun and robbing the couple of a gold necklace valued at $9,000.
Mitchell has since been arrested, but it is the video evidence that will now have him facing more charges added to his rap sheet.
“The police did their job, and they finally got the guy who did everything,” said Braswell. “I’m glad they did it.”
Mitchell is facing a long list of charges that range from armed robbery to burglary.
Police also believe Mitchell is linked to more than a dozen other break-ins. He is now being held with no bond.