Mark Tyson
Member
Posted on Sat, Aug. 09, 2003
2 accused of impersonating cops
Home invasion suspects in jail
By KEVIN DEUTSCH
[email protected]
Two men jailed in Miami on robbery charges are now accused of impersonating police officers in three Broward home invasions, the Broward Sheriff's Office said Friday.
Investigators believe the men may be involved in 20 more robberies in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.
Israel Lake, 31, of El Portal, and Reinaldo Diaz, 30, of Miami Beach, are accused of wearing police badges around their necks and forcing their way into homes, robbing the occupants at gunpoint, according to a report by BSO spokeswoman Liz Calzadilla.
Miami-Dade police arrested Lake on April 3, and Diaz on May 5.
Both men were being held without bond when the additional charges were filed Friday by the Broward state attorney's office.
The three Broward robberies occurred Feb. 7 -- one in Pembroke Park and two on the same street in Pompano Beach.
Fermin Santiago, 46, was in his trailer at the Holiday Mobile Home Park, 3120 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. in Pembroke Park, when he heard a knock on the door at 5 a.m., according to the BSO report.
When he answered, two men wearing police badges forced their way inside.
One robbed Santiago at gunpoint, taking cash, jewelry and a handgun. No one was hurt.
At 8:30 p.m., Roni Salinas, 28, answered a knock on his door at 928 SW 10th Dr. in Pompano Beach and saw two men wearing police badges and brandishing handguns.
The men forced their way inside and took a small amount of cash.
No one was hurt.
The robbers repeated the crime a block away at 9:35 p.m., at 834 SW 10th Dr.
Diaz and Lake face dozens of charges, including armed robbery, kidnapping and impersonating a police officer, BSO said.
2 accused of impersonating cops
Home invasion suspects in jail
By KEVIN DEUTSCH
[email protected]
Two men jailed in Miami on robbery charges are now accused of impersonating police officers in three Broward home invasions, the Broward Sheriff's Office said Friday.
Investigators believe the men may be involved in 20 more robberies in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.
Israel Lake, 31, of El Portal, and Reinaldo Diaz, 30, of Miami Beach, are accused of wearing police badges around their necks and forcing their way into homes, robbing the occupants at gunpoint, according to a report by BSO spokeswoman Liz Calzadilla.
Miami-Dade police arrested Lake on April 3, and Diaz on May 5.
Both men were being held without bond when the additional charges were filed Friday by the Broward state attorney's office.
The three Broward robberies occurred Feb. 7 -- one in Pembroke Park and two on the same street in Pompano Beach.
Fermin Santiago, 46, was in his trailer at the Holiday Mobile Home Park, 3120 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. in Pembroke Park, when he heard a knock on the door at 5 a.m., according to the BSO report.
When he answered, two men wearing police badges forced their way inside.
One robbed Santiago at gunpoint, taking cash, jewelry and a handgun. No one was hurt.
At 8:30 p.m., Roni Salinas, 28, answered a knock on his door at 928 SW 10th Dr. in Pompano Beach and saw two men wearing police badges and brandishing handguns.
The men forced their way inside and took a small amount of cash.
No one was hurt.
The robbers repeated the crime a block away at 9:35 p.m., at 834 SW 10th Dr.
Diaz and Lake face dozens of charges, including armed robbery, kidnapping and impersonating a police officer, BSO said.