Homeless man arrested for breaking into Ironwood Golf Course Pro Shop

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Steven J. Hardwick, 66, was arrested early this morning for allegedly throwing a concrete block through the glass door of the Pro Shop at Ironwood Golf Course.

At about 9:30 p.m. on August 20, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to an alarm at the Pro Shop at the City-owned golf course (2100 NE 39th Avenue) and found the glass door shattered and a concrete block inside the door.

The officer reported that surveillance video from the Pro Shop shows an older white man approaching the back door, picking up a concrete block, and throwing the block through the door, shattering the glass; the man then enters the Pro Shop, quickly exits, and walks away eastbound.

The officer realized that the man in the video matched a recent bulletin stating that Hardwick, a “prolific burglar,” had been seen in the Butler Plaza area.

The officer began canvassing the area around Ironwood and found Hardwick in the 1200 block of NE Waldo Road at about 1:35 a.m. The officer reported that Hardwick was wearing the same clothing that was seen on the video at Ironwood.

Hardwick reportedly said he had been dropped off in Gainesville at about 1 a.m. and had not been in Gainesville in the past week.

Post Miranda, Hardwick reportedly said again that he had not been in Gainesville during the past week. After the officer showed him the photo from Butler Plaza on August 17, Hardwick reportedly confirmed he was the man in the photo and changed his statement to say he had panhandled in Gainesville a few days ago. However, he continued to say that he had been dropped off at the nearby Texaco station at about 1 a.m. by a stranger who drove him from Bradford County and that he had not gone anywhere near Ironwood Golf Course. When the officer showed him the video from the Pro Shop, Hardwick said he was not the man in the video.

The officer noted that Hardwick was wearing the same clothes in the Butler Plaza photo that he was wearing when the officer encountered him, and Hardwick said he had been wearing the same clothes for about three days.

Hardwick reportedly said he was trying to walk to St. Francis House. After further questioning, he reportedly said he did not remember what had happened and that he was just trying to get to St. Francis House. St. Francis House’s downtown shelter closed in April.

Hardwick has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure and felony property damage. He has 26 felony convictions (non-violent) and seven misdemeanor convictions (one violent), and he has served 14 state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2017. Judge Joy Danne set bail at $100,000.

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.