Video shows Miami restaurant owner confronting burglar after seeing him on surveillance

MIAMI, Florida — A Miami restaurant owner took matters into his own hands early Thursday morning, physically confronting a burglar inside his business after spotting the break-in on a live security feed.

The incident occurred shortly before 3:00 a.m. on May 16, 2024, at El Jardin Latino, a restaurant located in the 3200 block of NW 17th Avenue in Miami's Allapattah neighborhood. The owner was alerted by his Ring surveillance camera and watched live as an intruder rummaged through the kitchen and dining area.

The owner, accompanied by his brother-in-law armed with a pool cue, immediately rushed to the restaurant to protect their livelihood. Upon entering, a violent physical altercation broke out between the owner and the suspect. During the struggle, the owner sustained injuries to his face, arm, and abdomen.

Surveillance footage from inside the restaurant shows a chaotic scene: the owner and his brother-in-law struggling to pin the suspect to a dining table while a woman repeatedly strikes the intruder with a billiard cue. The suspect, later identified as 40-year-old Sergio Morales, could be heard screaming in Spanish, “Please, my mom is sick!”

Miami Police officers arrived on the scene with weapons drawn and took Morales into custody. A search of Morales' bag revealed the cash register's money tray containing $14.35 in loose change, seven lighters, and two screwdrivers believed to have been used to pop the lock off a side door. Morales, who appeared heavily under the influence of an unknown substance, was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital before being booked on burglary and battery charges.