West Miami police report low January crime totals, warn 42‑second wheel-and-tire thefts; residents press traffic and parking fixes

Officer Eric Alvarez and other City of West Miami police officers presented January 2025 crime statistics and crime‑prevention advice at a community town hall meeting, and showed surveillance video of thieves removing four wheels from a parked car in roughly 42 seconds. Residents used the meeting to press the city and police on speeding, parking near stores and near Sylvania Elementary, and enforcement at a recurring commercial parking problem at Frank's Fruit.

The police presentation opened with basic January totals. "So far we've had 0 robberies and 0 auto thefts in the city of West Miami. 3 fraud cases, 4 thefts," Officer Eric Alvarez said, noting the largest single category that month was reports of suspicious persons or vehicles (43). The department said its typical response time averages 2 to 4 minutes for dispatched calls.

The meeting featured a short video of a theft captured inside a home showing suspects lifting a car onto bricks and removing all four wheels. "This video is only 42…