Larsa Pippen played ‘crucial role’ in helping cops crack her Miami crime scene
Larsa Pippen had anything but a relaxing afternoon on Sunday.
Three men were arrested near the “Real Housewives of Miami” star’s house in the leafy upscale suburb of Pinecrest. The Bravolebrity was, fortunately, not home, but was alerted remotely that people were trying to get in via her surveillance alarm system on her phone. The 51-year-old mother of four then called 911.
Pinecrest police say the people traveled all the way from Georgia to the residence. According to the arrest affidavit, they were caught near the home after a brief chase in their silver Hyundai Tucson.
“They fled from responding officers who arrived within minutes,” said the agency’s Facebook post. “With the assistance of the Sheriff’s Office and Coral Gables Police, the suspects were swiftly contained and apprehended.”
Arrested were Treison Lache Booker, 23; Cortez Day Mon Johnson, 23, and Elijah Eugene Russell, 18. Each faces several charges, including attempted burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, resisting without violence and criminal mischief.
Per court records, as of Tuesday morning, Booker and Johnson were still in custody in Miami-Dade jail; Russell is set to be extradited on a fugitive out of state warrant for an unknown offense.
It’s not known if the trio knew a celebrity lived at the property, but Pippen updates her fans constantly on Instagram about renovations at the sleek, contemporary house, which she bought about a year ago.
Pinecrest Police Chief Jason Cohen told the Miami Herald that scenario is likely.
“We can’t confirm that, but our theory is they came because they knew it was her, but we don’t know that to be a fact,” he said of NBA great Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife. “She’s very big on social media, showcasing her house. We don’t recommend that, but we understand, that’s her lifestyle.”
Cohen credits Pippen for being “very instrumental” in helping law enforcement make the swift arrests.
“We go to false alarms all the time,” he said. “But once we determined otherwise, it changed the landscape and response and raised the alert level. As officers were approaching, they were driving away. That was the getaway car.”
Pinecrest police ends the Facebook post warning other neighbors in the area to stay vigilant, and for potential lawbreakers to stay far away.
“This incident serves as a stark reminder that Pinecrest will not tolerate criminal activity,” it said. “It also highlights the effectiveness of basic crime prevention measures. By locking their cars, setting their house alarms, and promptly reporting suspicious activity, residents played a crucial role. As a result, the burglars were apprehended and left with nothing but handcuffs and a room at the county jail.”
An insider close to the situation tells us that Pippen is “fine,” and appreciated the police department’s “amazing” response. She has since hired two 24-hour armed security guards for both inside and outside the home, and is looking into getting a guard dog, possibly a German shepherd.
As for her the state of her house, the police report says Pippen’s sliding doors sustained “multiple impact marks,” causing about $1 million in damage. CCTV footage she provided to authorities shows the suspects smashing the glass with a “large blunt object.”
