New employee arrested after allegedly stealing $1,400 on first day of work
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Robert Lavon Cray, 43, was arrested yesterday and charged with grand theft after allegedly stealing $1,400 from a safe at Keke’s Breakfast Cafe on his first day of work.
Cray reportedly started work at the restaurant on Monday, and an employee of the restaurant told a Gainesville Police Department Officer that Cray was left unattended inside the office, where the safe is located. She said she learned at the end of her shift that the safe was short $1,400. She said she checked the business cameras Tuesday morning and saw Cray taking money out of the safe. She said she confronted him when he showed up for work on Tuesday and that he left when she said she was calling the police.
An officer found Cray a short distance away. Post Miranda, Cray reportedly said he saw that the safe door was open and told the employee it was open because he did not want to be accused of taking money. He denied taking any money from the safe.
Cray has 11 felony convictions (two violent) and eight misdemeanor convictions (none violent). He has served five state prison sentences for convictions out of Alachua, Columbia, and Suwannee Counties, with his most recent release in June 2022. Judge Thomas Jaworski set bail at $1,000, with a requirement for a GPS monitor upon release.
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.
Is this one of those cases where the employer wasn’t allowed to ask about the dipsh–‘s prior record? If so, congratulations regressives! Another one of your genius “diversity” policies at work! OMG, too funny! Lauren Poe ladies and gentlemen- still failing Gainesville!
I forgot to mention that our current mayor voted for it as well, along with Saco and Duncan-Walker. They deserve credit for this social justice masterpiece too. ROFL
As well as Open Container ,Block Party Arreola , Change Artist running for a House Seat.
I was going to jump on the low bail for a career criminal, but I forgot. This is Gainesville, where background checks are not allowed. Of course, management could also keep office door locked when safe is open, and safe locked when not being used,
They can run a background check but only after making a conditional offer of employment. Still though terrible money handling practice as manager to leave anyone around an open safe.
Posts bail. Still has $400 left over.
Valid point!!
Actually he only had to pay the bondsman $100, so for the time being he probably has $1300 left over. Nice trick.
Wow it seems to be Brilliant Employer Month or something. Hire a guy who has served 5 prison sentences and let him have access to an unlocked safe on the first day. This is like leaving a fat kid all alone in a candy store and telling him he better not eat anything sweet. I dont even blame this guy. Career criminals are gonna steal- that’s what they do. You would think Keke might learn from this moving forward.
Absolutely. They are moving forward. The previous general manager was arrested for stealing from Panera. Funny how as soon as the former manager leaves, the newly promoted manager gets set up with a man who was recently hired and steals money on his first day. Idk.. kind of sounds like a set up to me.
You are fired and going to jail. It’s on camera stupid.
19 prior convictions. Is that bail amount a typo by chance?
Great ?, j
It cost him 100 dollars to get out? No wonder he has no respect for the law.
Was the employer allowed to run a back ground check? City Commissioners corrupt bright ideas.
The precious employer was arrested for her involvement with her boyfriend for robbing a Panera… Funny how she’s leaving the store and set up the new manager with this guy. Sounds like a set up to me..
I’ve never dined there but if they hire such *obvious* unseemly book covers, I don’t want my food near the help. Sorry.
Exactly… who would??!! The previous manager was released from prison after helping her boyfriend rob a Panera… I think she got jealous of the new management coming in and hired this guy on purpose because she knew she was leaving and knew he was desperate for money and would steal from the company… Sounds like a set up to me.
POS this is the reason us that really made mistakes is our lives and learned from them and made a change can’t get a decent job now smh.
You are more than straight to the point about that, Jennifer. The eighty percent bad make it tough tough tough on the 20 percent good.
Judge “Low Bail” Tommy Boy doing what he does best. Gotta get the POS with 19 conviction back out so he can try and find another employer to steal from
Hopefully the judge set low bail and gps so they can follow him to the money if he didn’t already spend it on drugs
He has to pay for wearing GPS $10.00 per day, of course he will be indigent and required. He has to be in the running for “Dumbest Criminal of the Year 2024”.
No, I’m sorry you beat me to it.
“He has served five state prison sentences for convictions out of Alachua, Columbia, and Suwannee Counties, with his most recent release in June 2022. Judge Thomas Jaworski set bail at $1,000, with a requirement for a GPS monitor upon release.”
Did anyone do a criminal background check before hiring him??
@ Lou It’s G’ville Lou and I think they’ve made it illegal to do a background check until you’ve offered the person the job.
I know, I know, it sounds as stupid as it is but I believe I am correct on this.
The US and Florida constitutions have due process clauses which afford all of us certain rights when we might be accused of a crime. We are all innocent of the charges until proven guilty. A prior criminal record is not evidence of guilt in this case. But the media is fond of rushing to judgment and is adept at manipulating its readers to do the same
Unless your name is Donald Trump …
Owwww….. bless your bleeding liberal heart. You hire him then
OMG, more hilarity from the regressives! Did you read the article Tom? She checked the video footage and saw the criminal taking the money. That’s proof of guilt Tom. The only judgment to which people are rushing is that you can’t read!
And prior criminal record is completely relevant in setting bond.
A prior criminal record is evidence of guilt. If they were convicted, then they served their time.