MIAMI – A crew of armed men from Venezuela worked together to hunt for wealthy robbery victims at the Design District in Miami until undercover law enforcement put an end to their Grinchy business, police said.
Detectives identified the suspects as Ildemar Jose Chirinos-Torres, Briann Ricardo Hernandez-Castillo, Larry Junior Mendez-Ruiz, Alejandro Moises, and Raynner Jorland Pacheco-Sandoval.
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Investigators reported Chirinos-Torres and Hernandez-Castillo were so brazen that they held a victim at gunpoint near a valet stand along Northeast 39 Street, as Moises waited in the getaway car, records show.
After the trio stole the victim’s luxury watch valued at over $100,000, undercover detectives followed them in an unmarked car and Chirinos-Torres fired at them, records show.
Pacheco-Sandoval and Mendez-Ruiz were the lookouts in two other cars, so when Chirinos-Torres and Hernandez-Castillo needed a second getaway car Mendez-Ruiz stepped in, records show.
According to a Sept. 20 federal indictment, the heist was on Dec. 15, 2023, and the suspects face charges of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Records show Magistrate Judge Alicia O. Valle has been presiding over the cases and forfeiture allegations.
SAFETY TIPS
The case serves as a reminder a year later that shoppers must stay alert this season in South Florida.
- Do not shop alone. There is strength in numbers.
- Choose well-lit parking near a surveillance camera.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Trust your gut and report anything suspicious to security guards
- Use a fanny pack, security travel pouch, or small frontal pocket instead of a wallet or purse.
For more safety tips from law enforcement experts, visit this page.