Pair arrested for stealing and pawning tools from vehicles at School District facility

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Corinna Dee Nixon, 36, and Mitchell Scott Nixon, 39, were arrested yesterday and charged with various crimes related to stealing and pawning tools from vehicles at an Alachua County Public Schools facility.

The school district reported the thefts on May 22, and the investigation reportedly found that five vehicles had been burglarized at the Sivia Center, 3700 NE 53rd Avenue, after entry was made by cutting a fence panel. Tools belonging to the school district and the personal tools of an individual were reportedly stolen.

Surveillance video from the facility reportedly shows Mitchell Nixon entering several vehicles and taking power tools from the vehicles. The tools were reportedly pawned at various pawn shops by Corinna Nixon.

The school district tools had been engraved with property numbers, and the individual’s tools had been engraved with his initials; the property numbers had been filed off, but the initials were still on the tools.

Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies made contact with the pair at their residence. Post Miranda, a deputy informed Mitchell Nixon that surveillance video showed him entering vehicles and removing tools at the facility, and he reportedly responded, “Ok.” He later reportedly said he had been on the property alone and that it was his idea to take the tools. He reportedly did not respond to questions about what happened to the tools.

Post Miranda, Corinna Nixon said she has been pawning Michell Nixon’s tools and said he marks them with his initials; she said she didn’t know anything about the tools being stolen.

Mitchell Nixon has been charged with five counts of vehicle burglary, grand theft, and property damage. He has traffic citations in Alachua County going back to 2008 but no criminal history.

Corinna Nixon has been charged with providing false information to a pawnbroker and dealing in stolen property. She has four felony convictions for burglary, fraud, and theft from a person over 65 years old and two misdemeanor convictions for petit theft.

Bail information is unavailable on holidays.

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.