Man with 47 convictions arrested for stealing e-bike on campus; police say he admitted to stealing over 30 bikes

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Chadrick Rodell Smith Sr., 54, was arrested yesterday on a warrant for allegedly stealing an e-bike on the UF campus in July; the arresting officer noted that Smith has admitted to stealing over 30 bikes in the past two years.

At about 5:20 p.m. on July 19, the bike’s owner parked her e-bike at a rack near Murphree Hall and locked it with a cable lock. Video surveillance reportedly shows Smith arriving at the bicycle rack about 15 minutes later, riding a different bicycle. He parks next to the victim’s bike, looks it over for about a minute, and then walks over to another bicycle on the rack; he allegedly takes that bike from the rack and rides away, then returns a few minutes later and parks it where he found it.

Smith reportedly looks at the bikes on the rack before returning to the victim’s bike; he spends about a minute manipulating and removing the cable lock and allegedly rides away on the victim’s bike.

The responding University of Florida Police Department (UFPD) officer reported that he has worked three other cases involving Smith and has interviewed him at the jail “numerous times.” He said Smith has admitted to stealing over 30 bicycles from UF and the Gainesville area over a period of two years.

Smith was trespassed from all UF and UF Health Shands properties in June 2025 for a period of three years.

At about 7:09 p.m. on August 6, a UFPD officer saw Smith enter UF Health Shands and followed him; when the officer spoke with Smith, he reportedly said he knew he was trespassed from the property and was there to use a telephone.

When asked about some work gloves and tools in his possession, Smith reportedly said he had not used the items for anything “yet.”

Smith has been charged with grand theft and two counts of trespassing after a warning. He has 24 felony convictions (non-violent) and 23 misdemeanor convictions (three violent); he has served six state prison sentences, with his most recent release on June 21, 2026. Senior Judge Bo Bayer set bail at $150,000.

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.