Rule No. 1 of theft: know how to drive the getaway vehicle.
A man accused of trying to steal a golf cart Tuesday afternoon didn’t get very far, Gainesville Police said. He didn’t know how to drive it.
Carlos Dominique Peeples, 19, of Gainesville, is accused of trying to steal a maintenance golf cart worth $2,300 from Sunbay Apartments, at 708 SW 16th Ave., according to an arrest report.
When police arrived, several employees were with Peeples, who was sitting on the curb, the report said.
One employee told police he watched Peeples sit in the driver's seat of the golf cart and struggle to drive it. When the employee walked up to Peeples, the cart began rolling backward, the report said.
Peeples began to run away, and the employee stopped him, the report said. The employee gave police photographs of Peeples driving the cart. Another employee said he witnessed the teenager trying to drive the cart and run away, police said.
After he was read his Miranda rights, Peeples told police he went to the apartment complex to visit his girlfriend, the report said. It was too hot to walk, so Peeples decided to drive the cart to the front of the complex.
Another officer said she spoke with Peeples’ girlfriend, who has never lived in Gainesville.
Peeples could not immediately be reached for comment.
He was charged with grand theft and was released from Alachua County Jail Wednesday afternoon without bond.
Contact Amanda Rosa at arosa@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @AmandaNicRosa
Carlos Dominique Peeples
