SURFSIDE (VIN News) – A call to action circulated last week by the Miami Beach Eruv Council said that the eruv had been deliberately targeted by vandals. Sergeant Jay Matelis, public information officer with the Surfside Police Department said that police had investigated the matter but found that the eruv came down when metal clasps used in its construction rusted and gave way.
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Dov Coiffman of the Miami Beach Eruv Council disagreed with that assessment, saying that the problem was not maintenance related and that the eruv had been subject to tampering. Similar damage has reportedly occurred with the Miami Beach section of the eruv and have stopped since law enforcement was brought in.
Coiffman said that he has discussed the matter with Steven Meiner, mayor of Miami Beach, who would be contacting the Surfside Police Department to discuss the issue and that “securing police patrols in the area would be the best deterrent.”
Charles Burkett, mayor of Surfside, declined to address the matter with this VIN News reporter.
Spanning 10 miles from north to south and three miles in width, the Miami Beach eruv runs from South Beach north through Bal Harbour until the Haulover Inlet Bridge.
Police do not want spending time requesting and reviewing private video surveillance from the buildings as it is a lengthy process. However, when the same issue occurs again the next day, it becomes much easier to claim maintenance issues by them ? This occurs every other week as there is already a clear and ongoing problem. Rather than focusing on past footage, addressing the recurring issue promptly ensuring vandalism goes undeterred.