With a traffic stop Monday, Gainesville Police linked one man with two different cases: a $15,000 burglary from late December and an assault from mid-January.
At about 10 p.m. Dec. 28, Eric David Baker, 37, stole fishing rods and sunglasses from L & S Auto Trim, according to a police report.
After robbing the Northwest 13th Street store, Baker pawned the merchandise at different locations, sometimes using his girlfriend to make the transaction, according to the report.
A witness told police Baker’s truck stalled, or shut off, mid-getaway, GPD spokesman Officer Ben Tobias said.
More than two weeks later, at about midnight on Jan. 14, Baker was escorted out of Gambler’s Saloon on Sixth Avenue after an argument with his girlfriend, according to the report.
When Baker tried to get back inside, the saloon’s 73-year-old owner stood in his way.
Baker then pushed the man over, causing serious bruising to the man’s back and chest, according to the report.
Still, Baker hid from police for two more weeks — a full month since his initial heist.
On Monday, police linked Baker to both crimes and pulled him over, Tobias said.
“We knew his name from the battery, but we had no idea until (Monday) that he was our burglary suspect as well,” he added.
As Baker pulled to the side of the road, his truck shut off like it had in December during his getaway.
Police arrested Baker on charges of burglary, larceny, dealing in stolen property, fraud and battery on a person 65 years of age or older.
Authorities took him to the Alachua County Jail where he remains, as of press time, in lieu of an $85,000 bond.
Contact Martin Vassolo at mvassolo@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @martindvassolo.
