Man selling stolen guns was behind 3 burglaries in Three Lakes, police say

MIAMI – A burglar stole from three neighboring homes while the residents were gone. The modus operandi: Breaking in through glass doors, and pouring liquids to try to get rid of forensic evidence before leaving, according to the Miami-Dade Police Department.

With the help of a tip from Miami police officers, Kendall District detectives identified the burglar as Ceddarius Johnson. He was being held without bond on Monday at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

The burglaries were at Miami-Dade’s Three Lakes neighborhood, about 20 minutes away from where Johnson, 22, lived in Miami-Dade’s South Miami Heights neighborhood.

Officers arrested Johnson early Friday morning after executing a search warrant at his apartment in the Carib Villas, a gated complex. Among the items officers seized were five firearms, “an abundance” of ammunition, 410 grams of marijuana packaged for sale, 17 pills of Oxy, and a scale, according to the arrest report.

Here is the detectives’ timeline of the case:

• Feb. 5: The first burglary was before 10:30 p.m., at 12840 SW 149 St. The burglar opened the victim’s bottle of whiskey, and poured it around before running away with a Baretta, another firearm, and a Taser.
• Feb. 12: The second burglary was at about 12:20 a.m., at 13913 SW 124 Ave. The burglar stole a firearm and $3,000 in cash and poured liquid detergent.
• March 8: Miami police officers stopped a vehicle at about 4:40 p.m., near Miami Northwestern Senior High School. The passenger of the car was in possession of the Baretta that was stolen in the Feb. 5 burglary, police said. Johnson allegedly sold it, police said.
• March 18: The third burglary was at about 1:27 p.m. at 13323 SW 144 Terr. The burglar stole three firearms, a Glock 43X, an Iver Johnson Carabina, and a Delton AR15, and a safe with the resident’s passport, social security, two-car key fobs, $700 in cash, and a Movado watch, police said.

According to the arrest report, officers recovered some of the stolen items at Johnson’s apartment, including the Movado watch, the passport, and the social security card.

Johnson appeared in court on Saturday to face charges of armed burglary, dealing in stolen property, two counts of grand theft, displaying a firearm while committing a felony, marijuana possession with intent to sell, and possession of a controlled substance.

Assignment Desk Editor Aura Martinez contributed to this report.