Despite assurances by North Miami Police Chief Leonard Burgess that “the Crime Index rating for NM is the same as the City of Aventura,” one family recently robbed at “gunpoint, taser and machete” might have their doubts about that.
Naim Sedik sent an email today to North Miami Detectives Noel and Castro stating, “It has now been over two weeks that our home on Biscayne Bay Drive in Keystone Point has been the scene of a brutal armed home invasion.”
Mr. Sedik then detailed a brutal account of the family’s being held against their will and threatened with “our f*cking throats being cut” as they were forced to turn over all their valuables to armed, masked intruders.
Family members were then “piled up on each other” on the floor in their laundry room and “wrapped in duct tape and basically shivering and trembling with the constant thought that we would not be left to live at the end of this.”
The thieves took off with “approximately $177,000 in valuable, electronics and other. They even went so far as to steal electric shaves, toothbrushes, perfume, socks, belts, all the luggage etc – EVERYTHING, you name it…”
Even their SUV was stolen and used as the getaway car.
The family couldn’t call the police immediately because their cell phones were stolen, and were only able to “contact 911 through the help of a friend via Facebook.”
Fortunately, Mr. Sedik was able to “to track 3 of our stolen smartphones to a specific address/building (7035 NW 173rd Dr) in Hialeah. I was even able to track the driving route they took. Once the phones got to that specific address they remained online for a while, only to be switched off later on.”
As horrific an ordeal as this armed home invasion was for the Sedik family, what followed in the aftermath of this crime is, well, downright criminal.
For one thing, residents of Keystone Point pay an extra $731.63 per household on their tax bill for a manned security gate and cameras. As Mr. Sedik claimed in his email, there is no footage of the traffic that day because “the video equipment has not been functional since quite a while!!”
Understandably, the family is anxious that there has been seemingly no progress made in solving this case in the more than two weeks since the crime took place.
Mr. Sedik wrote, “And as much as I realize that “nobody was severely hurt or killed”, I think we can all agree that this is a VERY SERIOUS crime. We are after all not talking about some regular break in or a car theft – hence, as a community we are only entitled to expect the necessary resources being allocated to come to a prompt resolution of this case.”
Even more heartbreaking:
“Our lives have drastically changed since this home invasion. … In addition, the joy we previously had living in Keystone Point has at this time very much dissipated, only to be replaced with a feeling of “not feeling safe” that makes us effectively keep ourselves locked in an walking around with mace guns in our shorts at all times! We still wake up at night for every sound we hear!”
Mr. Sedik is also concerned that Keystone Point residents were never alerted that there are armed and dangerous criminals on the loose. When residents questioned police about this crime, they were told it was only “a mere car theft investigation,” and then given flyers about leaving holiday packages on their doorsteps.
Mr. Sedik feels that his fellow residents should be told the truth for their own safety.
Good luck with that!
The last thing Chief Burgess wants is for the public to get wind of this still unsolved violent crime.
After all, an armed home invasion in what is supposed to be one of the safest neighborhoods in North Miami doesn’t fit in with Chief Lenny’s trite narrative that North Miami is as safe as Aventura.
But … flag football anyone?
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
What a horrible story. Those people are lucky to be alive. I used to have family who lived in Keystone point and moved about 6 years ago to be closer to their children and Grandchildren in Cypress Texas. They retired their but they always told me that Keystone point was the safest area in North Miami. I. Guess they were wrong.
Anyone who thinks Keystone is safe just because they have a gate or they’re on the east side is dreaming. We go in calls there for burglaries and car burglaries and crack heads walking inside the gated area. Keystone isn’t private so anyone can go in. 50 State is just there to wave people in and make the residents feel important because they have security guards. They’re not keeping anyone form coming in. Do you think once a car goes through the gate 50 state has anything also to do with it. No they just wave hello.
I bet you’re wondering why the crime rate is low in the reports. Ask Chief Burgess why he wants police reports to be what they’re not. It’s called downgraded. Ask around and you’ll know that the detective bureau commander Rivera is helping the chief do it telling detectives to make burglaries thefts. That’s how you play with the stats and make a chief look good so he keeps his job. Then he can make the council think he’s doing a good job. It’s all about the chief and not about the family with a knife at their throat.
The same thing in eastern shores, NMB. Police just say hello, most of the time gate is open. Nobody cares, bug it is our fault. Nobody gets involved, nobody cares and we will elect the same garbage all over again !
A few years ago my (future) wife and mother in law were robbed at gunpoint in front of their home in NMB. Crooks used their checks to pay home utility bills. zero follow up by police. Two years ago a friend was robbed at gunpoint on same block of phone and watch and wallet. Phone traced to apartments on 6th ave that night. No follow up by police. And they wonder how it’s possible for two teenagers on bikes to shoot someone dead in broad daylight at 9am on a sabbath morning. When there are zero consequences, and zero follow up, there is zero hesitation.
You probably voted liberal and voted to destroy police proactive units like county tnt that arrested 5000 criminals a year . 60 % violent career criminals !
Gated communities, unless they are surrounded by water and crocodiles, do not prevent all home invasions. The guard gates probably keep Keystone Point pretty safe from most of the “opportunity” crimes experienced in unguarded neighborhoods. For my extra 731 dollars, I’d want to know what happened to the cameras at the guard gate. When did they start malfunctioning? To whom was this reported? Is this 50 State’s responsibility or the association’s? The most annoying part of Mr. Sedik’s case is that he knows exactly where the thieves delivered his purloined merchandise, but it seems the police did not pursue the lead. Why? What is the advantage of GPS if the authorities won’t follow the signal. Sigh.. My advice in these days of reduced police involvement is get your own security cameras and prepare to defend yourself.
NMB lady,we have to bring real police back to our neighborhood ! The county had a unit that kept criminals in tip toes, hiding, scare of committing crimes( TNT). It was destroyed by political correct leaders ! We all play too much political correctness ! That will be the desyruction of America ! Elect the most conservative guy for any position ! That is a good beginning !