Homeless man arrested for stealing purses

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Keith Daron Pitts, 40, was arrested yesterday for allegedly stealing purses valued at $550 from Belk.

At about 4:54 p.m. on November 1, an employee of Belk (6323 West Newberry Road) saw a man walking through the store carrying multiple purses; the man walked out of the store without paying for the purses, and the employee notified a manager, who told a Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer who happened to be at the store. The purses were valued at $550.36.

Another witness told the officer that a man was hiding behind a trailer in the parking lot of the Oaks Mall, and the officer saw a man running across SW 62nd Boulevard. Multiple GPD officers responded and found Pitts in the 500 block of NW 60th Street. The store employee reportedly identified him as the man who had stolen the purses. The purses were recovered near the trailer.

Surveillance video also reportedly showed Pitts carrying the purses out of the store without paying.

Post Miranda, Pitts reportedly admitted that he had taken the purses out of frustration.

Pitts, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, has been charged with felony petit theft with two or more previous convictions. He has 17 felony convictions (two violent) and 19 misdemeanor convictions (one violent) and has served three state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2022. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $20,000.

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.