Homeless man arrested for burglarizing car at used car dealership

Staff report

ALACHUA, Fla. – Djeff Chery, 42, of Palm Beach, was arrested last night after the owner of a used car dealership reportedly found him sitting in a car on his lot; a nearby business owner also reported that Chery had damaged machinery on his property.

At about 8:51 p.m. on July 22, Alachua Police Department officers responded to a call from the manager of the Highway 700 Car Dealership (11108 NW U.S. Hwy 441), stating that he had seen a black male enter a vehicle on his dealership’s car lot. The caller said nobody should be on the property because the business was closed.

The officers reportedly approached the property from NW 111th Boulevard through the woods, accompanied by an APD K-9 team. When they entered the grass lot behind Brighton Beach Car Wash, they reportedly saw a man, later identified as Chery, walking toward the wood line. Because he matched the description provided by the caller, Chery was detained in handcuffs for officer safety; while being detained, Chery reportedly said he had not committed any wrongdoing and denied possessing any weapons or narcotics.

An officer contacted the caller and the owner of the dealership, and both reaffirmed that the business was closed and nobody had permission to be on the property or inside the vehicles.

The owner reported that surveillance video showed Chery entering a black Dodge Charger and the brake lights illuminating, “indicating an attempt to depress the brake pedal in an effort to start the vehicle.”

The officer reported that the owner of Brighton Beach Car Wash also arrived and said he had surveillance video that showed Chery tampering with the coin dispensers and the cleaning product dispensers in front of the car wash. The owner reported that he’d had other issues recently, including finding feces near the rear dumpster, which, the officer noted, was where officers found Chery.

Post Miranda, Chery reportedly said he had recently arrived in Gainesville on a bus from Palm Beach and that before he went to the dealership, he had been searching for a bus stop at the Marathon station at the intersection of NW 43rd Street and U.S. Hwy 441.

Chery reportedly said that when he saw the car lot, he decided to look at vehicles he hoped to purchase in the future, when he had a job. He said he was interested in the black Dodge Charger, which he said he found unlocked. He said he got in the Charger “to see if he fit inside” and then got out to look for a bathroom. The officer reported that Chery could not explain why he was looking for a bathroom in the wooded area behind the business instead of using a restroom facility inside a nearby business.

Chery, who is listed as homeless on his arrest report, has been charged with burglary of an unoccupied vehicle and loitering/prowling. He has no criminal convictions. Judge Kristine Van Vorst set bail at $25,000.

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.