Gainesville teen arrested for stealing car parked on the street in his neighborhood

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Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Timrell Lee Means, 18, was arrested yesterday after allegedly stealing a car that was left parked on the street with the door open and keys in the ignition; he has also been charged with stealing a gun and phone that were in the car.

At about 1:23 p.m. yesterday, Means reportedly got into an argument with his mother in their home in the North Lincoln Heights neighborhood; he left the home and walked down the street.

The victim told a responding Gainesville Police Department officer that he had just parked his car on the street while he was doing work in a yard; the door of the car was left open, and the keys were in the ignition. While the victim was in the backyard, Means allegedly got into the car and drove away. The victim said he did not know Means.

Means allegedly drove the car past his house and yelled to his mother that he was taking the car to Sweetwater Square Apartments. Officers reportedly found the car parked at that apartment complex and made contact with Means on NE 15th Street.

Officers reportedly found the victim’s gun in the yard of the property where they made contact with Means; surveillance video from the apartment complex reportedly shows Means getting out of the car, throwing an unknown item over the fence, and leaving the apartment complex. The video also reportedly shows him placing the bag containing the gun behind a tree in the yard where he was arrested. A K-9 search reportedly found the victim’s cell phone, but the victim said he was missing a second cell phone.

Post Miranda, Means reportedly said he did not take the car, the gun, or the cell phones. He denied throwing anything over the fence.

Means has a juvenile criminal history over a span of six years (2015-2021); he is listed as unemployed and disabled in court documents. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $55,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.