An ex-convict is being held in lieu of a $1 million bond after Gainesville Police arrested him Monday morning for reportedly snatching a Coach purse out of a woman’s car.
At about 8 a.m., a woman left her car door open outside of her house, located at 1204 NE 10th Ave., when she went inside to grab something, according to a police report.
When she returned, Garnet Mintz, 49, was inside her car holding her Coach purse, valued at $1,500, which had been left on the passenger seat. She told him to get out, and Mintz ran north on Northeast 10th Avenue, taking the purse with him.
The woman ran after him, and the two struggled for the purse, according to the report. Mintz threw the woman on the ground before he tripped over his bicycle and dropped the purse.
The woman picked up the purse and began to yell for help, according to the report.
A neighbor came out of his house as Mintz began to run away, according to the report. The neighbor biked after Mintz, chasing him across a soccer field as Mintz ran inside of his mobile home, located at 1600 NE 12th Ave. in Candlelight Mobile Park.
Police found Mintz hiding behind a TV inside his home, according to the report.
Gainesville Police spokesman Officer Ben Tobias said many officers thought Mintz, who has served time in prison six times for crimes committed in Alachua County, was still in jail for a series of car burglaries.
“He’s just one of those individuals who can’t help but commit crime,” Tobias said.
Tobias said he believes Mintz, who also goes by Blue Mints or Peanut Mints, works alone.
“It looks like he’s just a one-man wrecking crew,” he said.
Police arrested Mintz on a charge of robbery by sudden snatching.
Officers took him to the Alachua County Jail where he remained as of press time in lieu of a $1 million bond.
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 3/25/2015 under the headline “Police: GNV man attempts to steal purse; bond $1 million”]
Imprisoned: 6 times
Has been charged with...
Battery: 7 times
Burglary: 15 times
Theft: 5 times
Drugs: 11 times
Lewd/lascivious behavior: 3 times
Traffic violations: 6 times
