Homeless woman arrested for stealing purse downtown
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Una’dreen Jones, 48, was arrested yesterday for allegedly stealing a purse downtown while the purse’s owner was taking pictures with friends.
A Gainesville Police Department officer reported that at about 3:35 p.m. on November 15, a witness saw Jones pick up the victim’s purse while the victim and her friends were taking pictures near the intersection of S. Main Street and 4th Avenue. The witness and the victim followed Jones and called 911; when an officer arrived, they provided a description of the suspect, and they identified Jones after she was detained.
Jones, who is described as homeless in the arrest report, has been charged with petit theft. She has two felony convictions (non-violent) and five misdemeanor convictions (non-violent).
This is her third arrest since June: she was arrested on June 24 for pulling door handles on cars at Wawa (1007 E. University Avenue), and she was arrested on August 14 for trying to enter a locked charter school while students were present. She was referred to Mental Health Court after the second arrest, but screening indicated that “during the screening, prospective [participant] exhibited enough symptoms and behaviors to suggest that talk therapy would be a challenge for her to participate.” On September 24, she entered a plea of nolo contendere in both cases and was sentenced to time served.
Judge Kristine Van Vorst ordered her released on her own recognizance.
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.
Wow! Anyone else see the same pattern with mugshots on this page? The truth will set you free…..or maybe not?
Most are homeless.
Likely invited by the locally elected representatives.
Seems none of them or their supporters are volunteering to house them until they can get on their feet.
Why is that?
You would think the mayor and city commission would be the supporters bring them home with them and help them get back on their feet
Ambassador Una’dreen
Ex-cons with “mental illness” became that way often from a history of psychotic drug abuse, such as angel dust, etc in the past. They don’t need to be current users, it causes permanent mental conditions.
We need to repurpose Tacachale for such cases, and stop feeding lawyers.
Hopefully the victim was a lawyer or worked for a law firm there across from the courthouse.
ACLUSPLCDNC 💩🤡👿👹👺
ROR cuz she’s such a good girl.
Maybe she could live in Kristine s neighborhood.
Gee. You think maybe they couldn’t find a worse area to leave a purse unattended? Idiots! (I mean the “victim”). Hiding behind the door when God was handing out brains?
Why are you blaming the victim? How about the POS who stole it? That’s the problem nowadays to get instead of getting a job and working they prefer to steal maybe she’s still from the right person one day and they give her an extra hole in her body.