Gainesville man arrested for bank robbery
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Timothy Derrinado Wims, Jr., 34, was arrested yesterday after allegedly attempting to rob the Bank of America at 1116 W. University Avenue, punching a customer, and taking money from that customer.
At about 11:45 a.m. yesterday, Wims allegedly entered the bank and whispered to a bank teller, “This is a robbery” and slipped him a note while telling him to give him money. After the teller refused to give Wims any money, Wims allegedly turned around and punched a customer who was in line behind him. Wims allegedly turned back to the teller and began pacing back and forth, demanding money from the tellers.
After the tellers continued to refuse to give him money, Wim allegedly turned back to the same customer and demanded money; the customer gave him $65. Wims then allegedly demanded money from another customer, who said he didn’t have any money; Wims then left the bank.
A witness reported that he saw Wims yelling at the tellers and then saw him fleeing from the bank on foot. The witness called 911 and reported Wims’ location.
A Gainesville Police Department officer saw Wims in the area of NW 12th Street and NW 3rd Avenue, where Wims allegedly tried to hide before surrendering.
The bank teller reportedly identified Wims as the man who had attempted to rob the bank.
A search incident to arrest reportedly produced $65 in Wims’ pocket, along with a note that said, “This is a robbery. Let me get 8 5000 bands.”
Post Miranda, Wims reportedly admitted that he robbed the bank because he needed money and that he punched the customer because he was angry.
At the time the arrest report was written, the first customer was being evaluated at an emergency room for a suspected broken jaw.
Wims has been charged with felony battery, unarmed robbery, and two counts of attempted unarmed robbery. He has eight felony convictions (four violent) and seven misdemeanor convictions (two violent) and has served four state prison sentences, with his most recent release on February 24, 2023. Judge Walter Green set bail at $310,000.
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.Â
He’s done. I’ve been seeing articles in the news about this guy for over a decade. He finally did something that will keep me from having to hear any more about him for the next 15 years.
Should have never took this long
That area is on the edge of a historically troubled hood currently undergoing gentrification. Thank God.
This genius was released from prison less than a month ago!
Sounds like he acted on a “Wim”😄
His face says it all……” I didn’t do nothin”. And he probably won’t amount to nothing given the culture and upbringing he’s had? Sorry for him but it’s not my fault.
That area around midtown and downtown is getting loaded up with loitering vagrants…the city manager needs to do something about it.
As a Teller you should be instructed to give a robber your money as opposed to possibly losing your life and everyone else’s in the bank. These days people are armed and possibly mentally disturbed, or high on drugs. The money is INSURED. Give them the money and save lives. When will banks ever get this through their heads??? Thank God nobody was fatally injured!!
Coward.
They are taught to give up the money, let the robber go and mag-lock the doors – once the thief is OUTSIDE.
As a Teller, I know. Not all banks teach that way. Look at the bank above in this article. The Tellers refused to give him money. I guess you missed that part.
What about the customer with the broken jaw? What about them and what they’ve been through? I guess they just put some ice on it, while this guy gets
3 hots and a cot on the taxpayers dime.
That is why the tellers should have given him the money to protect everyone in the bank. Money is insured.
This should have been NO BOND… Really Judge Green, a bond? We know he can’t pay it but it is the principle of it. The Wims family has a very long storied history of criminal activity in Gainesville. Wims, Godbolts, Perry’s. Old names , generations of crime. Lock ’em up!
He already has 8 felony convictions? Thinking he just needs to be locked up for good. He hasn’t learned anything.