On Sunday, August 19, 2007, officers were dispatched to a private residence at 1351 NW 122 Avenue in Plantation in reference to a home-invasion robbery. Officers on scene made contact with seven victims who ranged in age from nine years old to 68 years old. Each of the victims had been bound with rope and tape.
Detective Kendall, who was working uniformed patrol that day, heard the call go out. Detective Kendall on his own initiative, contacted the Patrol supervisor to see if he could assist with the call. Detective Kendall responded to the scene and began interviewing the victims. It was determined that the incident originated in Miami, Florida, when two victims were carjacked at gunpoint by two subjects, one armed with a handgun and the other with a sawed-off shotgun. The victims were driven to a drive-thru A.T.M. where the male victim was ordered to withdraw $400.00. The suspects then told the victims to drive them to the victim’s home in Plantation. The children and their grandparents were then awakened and directed into one room where they were tied up.
The suspects beat two of the victims and ransacked the home, taking firearms, jewelry, and other items prior to fleeing with two of the victim’s vehicles. The estimated total loss of property was $30,000.00.
Detective Kendall began working a joint investigation with the Miami-Dade Police Department. Knowing that time is often of the essence in such a major case, he worked at a tireless pace. Detective Kendall maintained contact with Miami-Dade detectives as well as an Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms agent working the case. Leads quickly developed about a group of individuals from North Miami that were possibly involved in numerous other armed carjacking / armed home invasion cases. Detective Kendall obtained court orders to track cellular phone activity on the victims’ two stolen cellular phones. This resulted in one phone being tracked to a private residence located in North Miami where, with the assistance of Miami-Dade Police, the phone was recovered from inside the home along with the stolen guns, ammunition, jewelry, and various other items. Also seized from the home were a sawed-off shotgun, an AK-47 assault rifle, and a ballistic vest.
By the fifth day of his investigation, Detective Kendall was able to secure arrest warrants for two of the suspects. One of those wanted suspects along with a person of interest was quickly located two days later at a motel in Miami. Detective Kendall along with Miami-Dade detectives, obtained confessions from both subjects as to their involvement in this case. They also confessed to their participation in additional cases that occurred throughout Broward and Miami-Dade County including a second armed carjacking that occurred in Plantation and another in Lauderhill.
Knowing that there were two additional suspects still at large, Detective Kendall continued with his investigation and was able to secure an arrest warrant for a third suspect. Detective Kendall had developed a rapport with that suspect’s girlfriend and as a result, became aware of a court hearing he was scheduled to attend in Miami-Dade County. Detective Kendall forwarded this information to Miami-Dade Police detectives, who had uniformed officers arrest the suspect based on Detective Kendall’s arrest warrant. Detective Kendall and Miami-Dade detectives were able to obtain a confession from that suspect.
That last suspect was finally located and arrested at a motel in Hialeah. Detective Kendall and Miami-Dade detectives were able to obtain a confession from that subject as well.
Each suspect was being charged with a total of 16 felonies pertaining to the initial crime in Miami-Dade County as well as the home invasion in Plantation. The breakdowns of charges are as follows: one count of armed carjacking, seven counts of armed robbery, seven counts of armed kidnapping, and one count of burglary with an assault or battery.
Detective Kendall worked 11 days straight with extended hours to ensure that this home invasion was solved and all the suspects arrested. His commitment to this case severely impacted his time with his family during that two-week period. As a result, four dangerous individuals were taken off the street and their crime spree ended. These subjects were responsible for other armed carjacking and home invasions cases in Lauderhill, Coconut Creek, North Miami, and Miami. His devotion to this agency and to the community is unquestionable. Detective Kendall has earned the Officer of the Year award for 2007.
