Gainesville Police received 11 reports of car burglaries in 24 hours, according to a GPD press release Wednesday morning.
All of the cases involved unlocked cars and most were in a mile radius of Northwest 34th Street and Northwest 39th Avenue. There is currently no suspect information.
A man was arrested by GPD on Monday night after he was allegedly seen trying to break into cars in the Ridgeview neighborhood near Northwest 39th Avenue.
A witness later identified Jeremy Hernandez, 35, as the man she allegedly saw trying to break into a car just past 10 p.m. Multiple officers responded to the scene on Northwest 33rd Avenue, according to a separate GPD press release.
The witness reportedly saw the man walking down the street and stopping in her front yard, seemingly looking at the nearby houses.
The man was reportedly on his phone when he walked away from her yard and approached the first victim’s car.
The man allegedly leaned onto the car’s window and grabbed the driver’s door handle, trying to open the car. When he wasn’t able to open the door, he continued walking down the street, according to a witness statement.
The witness was worried because she saw him trying to conceal himself from view in some nearby bushes as he walked into a neighbor’s yard.
During a police search of the area, officers discovered another burglary on Northwest 33rd Avenue, close to where Hernandez allegedly tried to hide.
After noticing the police presence in his neighborhood, the second victim stepped out of his home and decided to check on his car.
The glove box compartment was open, paper and other items were scattered all over the floorboard and the interior light was on, according to the arrest report.
A GPD officer approached Hernandez at 1900 NW 34th St. According to the press release, Hernandez denied any involvement with the incident and continued to deny it after the witness identified him.
During an interview, Hernandez became aggressive and was immediately taken to Alachua County Jail. He’s being held for two charges of burglary and one charge of loitering. His bond is set at $20,000, according to jail records.
Hernandez lives in an area that’s recently had a problem with car burglaries, according to a press release. He has a history of burglaries, and there is an ongoing investigation to see if he is responsible for the recent burglaries in his neighborhood.
Officers and investigators continue to make arrests of multiple, different parties that are not connected, according to a press release.
Follow Jessica Curbelo on Twitter @jesscurbelo and contact her at jcurbelo@alligator.org.
