What started as a quick early morning pursuit in Biscayne Gardens ended with state troopers spinning out an SUV and hauling away a man they say has been ripping airbags from Hondas across South Florida.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers arrested 30-year-old Miguel Gabriel Andres on Monday after a brief chase that ended with a PIT maneuver on a Ford Explorer in the Biscayne Gardens area, authorities said. Investigators believe Andres has been targeting Honda vehicles for their airbags and say he now faces more than a dozen charges. The case has pulled in multiple departments, with Miami-Dade, Miami Gardens and Broward investigators all coordinating on the string of alleged thefts.
According to an arrest report cited by Local 10, Andres is described as part of “a group of individuals believed to be involved in ongoing motor vehicle thefts throughout the area involving Honda vehicles and air bags.” Many of the thefts reportedly took place in Hialeah, and the report lists addresses for Andres in North Miami and Palmetto Bay. Records show he was being held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a bond of nearly $60,000, facing counts that include burglary, grand theft and fleeing and eluding.
How troopers stopped the SUV
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper first spotted the Ford Explorer near Northeast 159th Street and Sixth Avenue in Biscayne Gardens and tailed it for about two blocks before performing a PIT maneuver to force the vehicle to a stop, Local 10 reports. Troopers said “Andres and two other occupants exited the vehicle” and took off running. Officers caught up with Andres and took him into custody, while the two others managed to get away.
Investigators allege Andres sometimes cruised for targets in a Nissan Altima or in the Explorer, which is registered to his mother.
Why Hondas are targets
An NHTSA bulletin, citing the National Insurance Crime Bureau, notes that “insurance industry statistics show that approximately 50,000 airbags are stolen each year.” The bulletin explains that stolen airbag modules can be resold or installed by unscrupulous repair shops, leaving victims and insurers footing the bill while thieves cash in.
Police departments across the country have reported similar patterns, with thieves zeroing in on Hondas and other popular models. In Chicago, for instance, officers have tracked crews smashing windows and yanking out steering-wheel airbags in quick hits, as documented by CBS Chicago.
Legal status
Miami-Dade records show Andres has been booked on more than a dozen counts, including multiple burglary and grand theft charges, along with fleeing and eluding. Authorities in Miami Gardens and Miramar are pursuing related cases, and detectives are asking anyone with video, information or other tips to contact local police.
How to protect your vehicle
Experts say drivers can lower their risk by parking in well-lit, busy areas and using steering-wheel locks to make quick smash-and-grab thefts less appealing. Collision shops and vehicle owners are urged to be wary of unusually cheap replacement airbags, which may be stolen or unsafe.
The NHTSA bulletin includes additional prevention advice and directs victims to the National Insurance Crime Bureau hotline to report fraud and theft, a step investigators say can help disrupt the black market for stolen airbag modules.
