Couple accused of stealing appliances from apartment complex

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Rodney Leroy Coar, 51, and Tamara Johnson Coar, 49, were arrested early this morning on warrants for stealing appliances from an apartment complex; Rodney Coar was also charged with selling the appliances to a scrap metal recycling business.

A Gainesville Police Department officer responded to Hideaway Gainesville on SW Williston Road in October 2023, where a witness reported that she had gone to the dumpster to take out the trash and saw a red Nissan Titan with a trailer parked by the dumpster. She said a woman wearing a green head wrap seemed to be directing two men to load several appliances in the trailer. She confronted the woman, who she said ignored her and told the men to keep loading the appliances. The witness wrote down the tag of the Titan and took a picture of the woman.

The witness said the maintenance staff for the complex routinely stores appliances in that area because it is hidden from view.

Another employee of the complex told the officer that they were missing six air conditioner compressors, five refrigerators, four washing machines, four clothes dryers, and five electric ranges, for a total approximate value of $16,900. Another employee later noticed that a water heater tank was missing.

The officer went to Rodney Coar’s residence, based on information from the tag on the Titan, and saw a white Lincoln in the driveway; the tag on that car belonged to both Rodney and Tamara Coar.

Later that evening, Tamara Coar reportedly called the police department and said her doorbell camera showed an officer at her home and that she saw the officer write down her tag number; she wanted to know why the officer was at her home. The officer called her and explained that she was investigating the theft of the appliances. Tamara Coar reportedly said she hadn’t done anything, quickly said she would call back in a few minutes, and hung up. The officer said she did not call back.

The officer went to the residence on a different day and reportedly saw Tamara Coar getting into the Lincoln. The officer introduced herself and said she wanted to talk about a grand theft she was investigating. The officer reported that Tamara Coar started visibly shaking and kept saying that she hadn’t stolen anything. The officer also noted that Tamara Coar was wearing a green head wrap like the one described by the witness to the thefts. The officer tried to read Tamara Coar her Miranda rights so she could ask her questions, but Coar reportedly refused to acknowledge the officer and went into her house.

The officer reported that Rodney Coar drove up a few minutes later in a smaller black truck, got out of his truck, and asked the officer what she wanted. When the officer said she needed to speak to his wife about a theft, he reportedly said she “didn’t put her hands on anything.” The officer noted that Rodney Coar resembled one of the men in the surveillance video from the apartment complex. After both Tamara and Rodney refused to speak to her, the officer left.

The officer visited a scrap metal recycling business and spoke with an employee, who reportedly recognized the couple and said Tamara Coar often comes in with her son, but she said they hadn’t been there since the theft.

The officer visited a second scrap metal recycling business and spoke with an employee who also recognized the couple but said they had not been there since the theft. However, about an hour later, the employee reportedly called the officer to say that she had just purchased items from Rodney Coar that included air conditioning units, a water heater tank, and at least one washing machine. During the sale, Rodney Coar attested that he had “full title to or authority to sell” all the items.

The employee called again later in the day to say that Rodney Coar had brought in more items, but the officer was unable to respond on that date.

The officer filed sworn complaints against the pair, formal charges were filed on January 4, and warrants for their arrests were issued on January 9.

Rodney Coar has been charged with grand theft, giving false information to sell regulated metals, and dealing in stolen property. He has six felony convictions (none violent) and three misdemeanor convictions (one violent). Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $75,000.

Tamara Coar has been charged with grand theft. She has no criminal history, and Judge Miller-Jones set her bail at $25,000.

The pair have been ordered to have no contact with each other.

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.