Newberry man arrested for vehicle burglary had outstanding warrant for vehicle theft

Staff report

NEWBERRY, Fla. – Kobe Deon Delima, 22, was arrested yesterday morning and charged with burglary of an unoccupied vehicle during a state of emergency; he was also booked on an outstanding warrant for grand theft of a motor vehicle.

At about 9:15 a.m. on September 26, a Newberry woman reported that she saw a man sitting in her vehicle in her driveway; she said the man did not have permission to be in her vehicle and seemed to be “sneaking around.” She said he ran when she saw him, and she called to a family member to chase him.

The family member told the responding Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy that he saw the man’s face and would be able to identify him if he saw him again; the man was last seen running from the woman’s home, and Delima was later found at his home, a few blocks away. The family member reportedly identified Delima as the man who had been inside the vehicle.

Delima was charged with burglary of an unoccupied vehicle during a state of emergency (Hurricane Helene) and was also booked on a warrant for grand theft of a vehicle.

The automobile theft incident was reported on August 23 by a body shop business; the business owner reported that someone entered the business and stole several thousand dollars in cash and a red Volkswagen Jetta that belonged to the business owner. On August 25, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office received a tip that the Jetta was parked behind a church in Newberry; fingerprints from the vehicle and items inside the vehicle reportedly matched Delima’s fingerprints, and a warrant for his arrest was issued.

Delima has two felony convictions (one violent) and two misdemeanor convictions (one violent). He was arrested in 2022 for fleeing law enforcement and hit and run with property damage, but the charges were later dropped. While he was on pre-trial release in that case, he was arrested in 2023 for breaking multiple car windows with a brick; adjudication of guilt was withheld in that case, and he was sentenced to 18 months of probation. After violating his probation by making contact with the victim, he was arrested and later sentenced to 21 days in jail with credit for 21 days served; the conditions of the original probation were then reinstated. About six months later, he was arrested for battery, trespassing, and battery on a law enforcement officer, and the probation was converted to community control (house arrest). He violated the terms of community control twice and was sentenced to 180 days in jail with credit for 159 days served in January 2024.

Delima is also facing a sworn complaint for voyeurism but has not been booked on that charge.

Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $60,000 on the two cases.

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.