MIAMI – Miami police have arrested two men and are searching for one more after the group followed a man to a bank and then attempted to rob him of his backpack, which contained $9,000 in cash and a Rolex watch.
Javier Bernal, 32, and Leonardo Marcel Navarro-Perez, 41, were arrested Tuesday on charges of attempted murder, attempted robbery with a deadly weapon and burglary with assault or battery.
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According to an arrest report, Bernal was captured on surveillance video arriving to multiple banks Tuesday in a silver Toyota RAV4 without conducting any transactions inside.
Police said he eventually went into a Bank of America branch at 8585 SW 24th St. and waited inside, at which time the victim’s associate withdrew $9,000 and then left the bank.
Authorities said Navarro-Perez was behind the wheel of the SUV as the trio followed the victim to a gas station and then to a parking garage on Northeast 13th Terrace.
According to the report, Bernal and the unknown accomplice approached the victim’s vehicle from the rear, with Bernal then approaching the passenger side of the vehicle and smashing the window with a blunt object as his accomplish approached the driver’s side.
Police said the victim drove forward and crashed into a parked vehicle before getting out of his car.
As the victim got out of the car, the unknown accomplice snatched the backpack, which contained the cash and Rolex, from the backseat.
The victim confronted the man, who pulled out a pocketknife and a physical altercation ensued.
Police said the victim was able to grab his backpack as the man swung the knife at him and struck him in the hands in an attempt for him to let go of the bag.
But police said the would-be thief was unsuccessful and he and Bernal fled the scene, jumping back into the SUV before Navarro-Perez drove them away.
According to their arrest reports, both Bernal and Navarro-Perez were located later in the day and invoked their right not to speak with detectives without an attorney present.
Anyone with information about the third man’s identity is asked to call the Miami Police Department or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.