Man arrested in Hialeah for carrying stolen gun and trying car doors

Police in Hialeah arrested a 19-year-old man after he was seen trying to open car doors in a residential neighborhood, WSVN reported. Officers responded to East Fourth Avenue and East 56th Street shortly before 2:30 a.m. following reports of a suspicious person wearing a mask and white clothing.

When approached, the man, identified as Amari Richardson, had fashioned a shirt into a mask which he pulled down. He admitted to carrying a gun, and officers recovered a black Smith & Wesson handgun from his waistband. The firearm was later confirmed stolen from Miramar.

A witness told police that Richardson was attempting to open the doors of a parked GMC van while leaving for work. Richardson gave conflicting reasons for walking through the neighborhood, stating he was coming from a club in Opa-locka and heading to a friend's home in West Hialeah but could not provide an address.

Authorities noted a recent increase in burglaries and thefts in the area. Richardson was charged with grand theft of a firearm, wearing a mask on a street, and loitering or prowling. A judge ordered house arrest with a $2,800 bond during his bond court appearance.