Video captures man stealing purse from tourists on Miami Beach; victim helps police track him down

Video shows a brazen crime on the streets of Miami Beach when a man spots an unattended purse and snatches it, but the victim was ready to do whatever it takes to get her belongings back.

The heist occurred in the middle of a spring trip to South Florida by an Illinois couple. Abigail Bias and Ebony Werner said they were at a Collins Avenue store to buy a pair of shorts for the beach with their dog, Santana. When it was time to checkout, they reached for their bag and realized it was gone.

“Adrenaline just started rushing — I just, I don’t know, I just instantly–” said Werner.

“Panic mode!” said Bias.

The women said they immediately started looking everywhere for their bag because the steal occurred so quickly.

“Immediately just started looking every which direction for the bag it couldn’t have been far cause it literally happened so quick,” said Bias.

They called Miami Beach Police who told them that while they will try to find the bag, it was likely gone for good. But Bias wasn’t going to accept that explanation.

“I just took it upon myself to dig more deep,” said Bias.

She noticed surveillance cameras that were pointing in the direction of the crime spot. Those cameras belong to Mitch Novick, the owner of the Sherbrooke Hotel on Collins Avenue.

“She provided me excellent detail,” said Novick.

Video shows the man grabbing the bag in a blink of a second, putting it across his shoulder, and walking away.

“So ruthless like he didn’t care, he had someone’s wallet and all their identification,” said Bias.

Novick, an anti-crime advocate and South Beach resident watch dog spotted the crime on his cameras and provided it to the victims.

“Took me no more than a minute,” he said.

The ladies called the police again to let them know about the video and then headed to the beach to try to have some fun while on their trip.

After a day at the beach, they were headed home when they spotted the man on the street.

“That’s him and she hopped out in the middle of traffic and approached him,” said Bias.

They immediately got out of the car and confronted the bag-taking man.

“We got you on camera. We know it was you that took the bag just please give us the wallet back,” said Werner.

But the ladies said the suspect was not giving up and put up a fight.

“Us both being females, he didn’t care. He was ready to fight,” said Bias.

Moments into their awkward Ocean Drive face-off, beach cops rolled up and took down the suspected thief.

The suspect was identified as Timothy Goldwait. He is now locked up in Miami-Dade jail.

Novick said he is proud of the women’s bravery.

“I commend her for her perseverance,” he said.

Despite the great help by Novick and their own detectives skills, the tourists got some belongings back, but not their expensive wallet.

Goldwait faces charges of petty theft. He has a bond of $2,000.