SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla. – New cell phone video is showing the moments police arrested a man accused of stealing a luxury car in Sunny Isles Beach, crashing it and then returning to the scene of the crime to retrieve another stolen car.
It happened at the Ritz-Carlton Residences located at 15701 Collins Ave.
Surveillance video stills show 27-year-old Tyler Theme pulling up in what police said was a stolen Mercedes-Benz, but police said he was looking to upgrade his ride.
Police said a new Ferrari caught his eye.
Theme dumped the Mercedes, took the Ferrari on a joy ride and smashed it in Hialeah Gardens, totaling the supercar.
Police said two hours after the theft, Theme took a taxi back to the Ritz-Carlton, where he hoped to re-steal the original stolen Mercedes he arrived in, but there was a problem: Sunny Isles Beach police were there, taking a report on the stolen Ferrari.
“Why in the world would he return to the scene?” Sunny Isles Beach police Sgt. Melissa Porro said. “We can only say that some criminals are not very smart.”
After a brief struggle, officers ended up using a Taser to subdue Theme and take him into custody.
“The message is: You commit crimes on Sunny Isles, our are officers are out on the streets, we are going to catch you and you are going to take a ride to jail,” Porro said.