Staff Report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a surprising turn of events, 37-year-old Shivaun Moss Solomon Blake found himself in handcuffs after allegedly absconding with a bicycle right under the nose of law enforcement.
The incident unfolded on the afternoon of May 21 at approximately 4:22 p.m. when a Gainesville Police Department officer witnessed the theft at a shopping plaza located at 1355 NW 23rd Avenue. The bike’s owner had left it momentarily unattended. Swiftly acting on the situation, the officer pursued Blake and managed to catch up with him after he had pedaled roughly 300 yards away from the scene.
In what could be described as a brazen but ill-conceived plan, Blake reportedly confessed to the officer that he assumed the police were preoccupied with more pressing matters. His intention, he claimed, was to sell the bicycle for a mere $10, an amount shockingly disproportionate to its estimated value of $1,200.
The officer noted that the bicycle was valued at about $1,200.
Blake has been charged with felony petit theft with two or more previous theft convictions. He has one felony conviction (non-violent) and six misdemeanor convictions (non-violent); he is on pre-trial release for a February incident in which he allegedly stole about $400 in merchandise from a Walgreens store and was released on his own recognizance. He is also facing a sworn complaint for two shoplifting incidents in February in which he allegedly took 31 items from a 7-11 and then returned and took some beer and wine; he has not been booked on those charges. Judge Bo Bayer set bail at $5,000 on the bike theft charge.
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.