Coral Gables police say a 38-year-old man is behind a summer streak of break-ins that had neighbors on edge. Officers arrested Felix Gomez on Saturday at a local motel, taking him into custody without incident. Investigators allege he used a crowbar to pry his way into occupied homes across June and July, and jail records show he now faces 10 counts of burglary of an occupied dwelling. Gomez is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, with bond still listed as to be set.
The Coral Gables Police Department’s Crime Suppression Team led the investigation and ultimately tracked Gomez to the motel. Jail records list 10 counts of burglary of an occupied dwelling along with several petit theft charges, according to Local 10. Police told the station they believe Gomez used a crowbar to “forcibly enter occupied residential buildings to commit theft,” and credited their specialized team with identifying and arresting the suspect.
Short local coverage from CBS News Miami showed footage of police activity and reported that detectives had linked multiple break-ins across June and July to the same man. As of Saturday morning, court records indicated Gomez remained in county custody awaiting further processing.
Legal implications
Under Florida law, burglary of an occupied dwelling is treated as a serious felony offense. The statute outlines several burglary categories and provides tougher penalties when a home is occupied, especially in aggravated situations, according to Florida Statutes § 810.02. Gomez has been charged but not convicted, and prosecutors will review the investigative file before deciding what formal charges to pursue.
How to report tips
The Coral Gables Police Department is asking anyone who might have information, surveillance video or security-camera stills related to recent burglaries to get in touch. Tipsters can contact the department directly or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys at 305-471-TIPS (8477) or 1-866-471-8477. Investigators say even short video clips, accurate timestamps or license-plate details can help them connect related incidents.
Local context
This latest arrest comes as Coral Gables has been leaning hard on focused property-crime investigations. In May, Hoodline covered a similar pattern in a home burglary spree involving a 32-year-old suspect. City officials have increasingly turned to specialized units and video analysis to stitch together surveillance footage from different neighborhoods.
Detectives say the current investigation remains active and that they are still working leads from neighborhood cameras and community tips. Anyone who believes they have information that could be relevant is urged to contact Coral Gables police or Crime Stoppers. From here, the case will move through the standard charging and pretrial process.
