Homeless man arrested for breaking into business, breaking windows, and splashing paint to create “splatter art”

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – James Todd Short, 60, was arrested last night and charged with burglary with property damage after allegedly breaking into a business and causing extensive damage.

A witness who saw Short entering Gainesville Ice House (1103 NW 4th St.) called the owner, who called law enforcement. A Gainesville Police Department K-9 team reportedly found Short in a small room on a makeshift couch, trying to hold the door shut by pushing against it with his feet.

Officers walked through the business with the owner, who noted that multiple power tools and air conditioning units were missing. Those charges are pending more information from the business owner.

There were also multiple windows stored inside the business, and glass was reportedly broken out of the window frames. Multiple cans of paint were reportedly opened, and paint was thrown on floors, walls, and other items in the business. The total damage was estimated at about $1,500.

Post Miranda, Short reportedly said someone led him to the business Thursday morning, but he was unable to provide any information about that person. He reportedly said that he entered an adjacent property, then climbed between a fence and a tree to gain access to the Gainesville Ice House property. He said he found the front door locked, so he climbed a fence that led to the rear of the property and found an open door.

Short reportedly said that once he was inside, he found a room full of air conditioning units; he said he removed all but one of the units, which he used to keep the room cool. When asked what he did with the rest of the air conditioning units, he reportedly replied, “What A/C units?”

Short reportedly said that he used the paint to create “splatter art” inside the business; he said he didn’t know anything about missing tools but reportedly said he would have used the tools inside the business but would not have removed them from the business. He said the broken glass was already there when he arrived, then said he remembered hearing glass breaking when he was creating his splatter art and that the noise was coming from a nearby glass factory. The officer noted that no such businesses exist in the area.

The officer noted that Short was covered in paint and had minor cuts on his hands that were consistent with being cut by glass.

Short, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, has four felony convictions (none violent) and two misdemeanor convictions (none violent). On April 4, he was sentenced to 30 days in jail with credit for 30 days served for loitering/prowling at the GMC Buick dealership on Main Street. He was arrested in 2022 and charged with setting a scooter on fire, but those charges were dropped. In 2023, he was charged with burglary, theft, and two counts of aggravated assault after allegedly breaking into a vacant apartment and then throwing stools at two people who discovered him there, but those charges were also dropped.

Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $50,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.