Florida jewelry business owner, family held at gunpoint: officials | FOX 35 Orlando
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Florida jewelry business owner, family held at gunpoint: officials

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Published  March 17, 2025 7:41am EDT
Florida
FOX 35 Orlando

Florida jewelry store owner, family held at gunpoint

Deputies say a man and his family were held at gunpoint in a terrifying home invasion in South Florida. The homeowner is a jewelry store owner with an active social media presence.

The Brief

  • A Florida jewelry business owner and his family were held at gunpoint at their South Florida home last week, and deputies are still searching for the three armed suspects responsible for the crime.

MIAMI-DADE, Fla. - A jewelry business owner and his family were held at gunpoint last week at their South Florida home, authorities said.

The three armed suspects are still on the run. 

What we know:

On March 13 at midnight, Miami-Dade deputies responded to an armed home invasion that happened at a residence near SW 130th Avenue and SW 284th Street.

Investigators said a man was standing outside his home when three armed masked suspects approached him and forced him inside the residence.

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Once inside, they held other occupants inside the home at gunpoint, while they ransacked the house, officials said.

The suspects stole jewelry and clothing before taking off in the family's white Cadillac SUV.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released additional details about the case, including descriptions of the suspects or whether it was a targeted incident.

‘They thought I had money at my home’

Dig deeper:

The jewelry owner, York Valdez, gets millions of views a week on apps such as TikTok, where he promotes and sells his jewelry, WSVN reported.

Valdez told the news outlet that he was standing in his driveway when he was ambushed by the armed suspects, who entered his home and held his family at gunpoint.

"They thought I had money at my home, and it’s the first time that I bring an expensive watch to my house," Valdez told WSVN. "I usually never even wear a watch," he said.

Valdez believes his large online presence made him a target. Though still shaken, he expressed gratitude that his family is safe and plans to reduce his social media activity. 

What you can do:

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crimestoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. Additional details about the incident were reported by WSVN. 

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