By Staff Reporter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities on Wednesday apprehended 32-year-old Joseph Benedict Croughin in connection with the alleged theft of a Pavlov Media van. Croughin is also accused of making off with tools valued at $40,000 from the vehicle.
According to reports, the incident unfolded on August 4 at approximately 2:10 p.m. in the 1000 block of SW 16th Avenue. A Pavlov Media employee momentarily left his work van, engine running, only to return and find the specialized van, priced at $80,000, missing.
The van’s GPS tracker transmitted a location near SE Hawthorne Road and 14th Street, leading Gainesville Police Department officers to scour the vicinity. Witnesses spotted a white male donning a teal shirt unloading the van and stacking tools alongside the Food Max at 1304 E. University Ave.
Further investigation led detectives to spot Croughin strolling in the 1700 block of NE 6th Place. A witness then confirmed that Croughin was the individual seen operating the vehicle and removing the tools.
All of the stolen tools were found in the area around the Food Max and Dandy Mart, along with another victim’s backpack that contained headphones, his personal car keys, and $3 in cash; all of that victim’s belongings were recovered except for the cash.
Surveillance video at the Food Max and Dandy Mart reportedly showed Croughin carrying the stolen tools and then abandoning them when officers arrived.
Croughin was transported to GPD Headquarters, where he allegedly kicked the door of the interview room; he was moved to a different room, where he reportedly became agitated and attempted to kick a chair toward an officer. The officer was able to close the door in time to block the chair, but Croughin allegedly picked up the chair and repeatedly threw it at the door. He allegedly slammed the leg of the chair into the door’s window and shattered it, causing an estimated $1,000 in damage.
Croughin has been charged with grand theft over $20,000, grand theft of a motor vehicle, felony property damage, and petit theft. He was reportedly intoxicated at the time of his Court Services interview, so he did not provide information about how long he has been in Gainesville. He has four felony convictions (non-violent) and 13 misdemeanor convictions (three violent); he is on probation in Jefferson County and has a warrant for violating probation. He served six months in jail in Alachua County in 2021 for passing fraudulent checks; he also has an unspecified criminal history in Alabama, New Jersey, Montana, and Pennsylvania between 2012 and 2025.
Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $130,000.
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.