A man arrested in connection with a car theft told Gainesville Police he had rented out the car to purchase crack cocaine, an arrest report stated.
The car was reported stolen Sunday from Backstage Lounge at 1315 S. Main St.
Rosemarie C. Blair told police she let Mark Woodrow Lester, 36, borrow her 2005 Mercedes-Benz and that he disappeared with the car and the keys, the report said.
Police spotted the car Monday afternoon being driven on Northwest Eighth Avenue by Charles Edward Chappell, who said he had borrowed the car and did not know it had been stolen, the report stated.
Chappell told police he borrowed the car from Lester and gave them the location where he was found. Lester was arrested on felony charges of grand theft and dealing in stolen property.
He told police he knew the car had been stolen and that he charged people between $20 and $40 to borrow it, using the money to purchase crack cocaine, the report stated.
