Homeless man with 33 convictions arrested for stealing bike

Staff report

Updated on August 5 with bail information.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Muwwakkil, 35, was arrested early this morning for allegedly stealing a bike in June, just three weeks after he was convicted of stealing a bicycle and released from the Alachua County Jail.

At about 3:49 a.m. on August 2, a University of Florida Police Department officer stopped a bicyclist for riding without lights near the intersection of West University Avenue and 13th Street; the bicyclist, later identified as Muwwakkil, said the bike belonged to a friend, and he was returning it. However, the bike’s serial number was registered with the university, and there was sticker residue where the registration sticker would normally be placed.

The registered owner of the bike reportedly said the bike was stolen on June 3 in the 100 block of NW 6th Street, but he had not yet reported it stolen. He said he wanted to pursue charges and valued the bike at $1,200.

Muwwakkil, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, was arrested for grand theft. He has five felony convictions (two violent) and 28 misdemeanor convictions (one violent); he has served one state prison sentence and was released in 2023. He was last arrested in Alachua County in April for stealing a bike, and he was fined $336 after entering a plea of nolo contendere to the charge; he was released from jail on May 11 and has not made any payments toward the fine. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $10,000 on the new charge.

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.