Woman arrested for stealing car because her car was almost out of gas

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Shayna Lacie Prescott, 23, was arrested early this morning and charged with grand theft of an automobile after allegedly stealing the car of her friend’s roommate because her car was almost out of gas.

The victim told a Gainesville Police Department Officer that Prescott was hanging out with her roommate last night; when her friend went to sleep, Prescott reportedly contacted her sister for a ride, but the victim later realized her car was gone. The victim said her roommate didn’t know where the car was, and the roommate said she had not given Prescott permission to take the car. The roommate reportedly contacted Prescott over Facebook Messenger, and Prescott reportedly denied having the car.

The victim used the tracking system on her car to relay information about the car’s location to dispatchers, and the car was found abandoned at 1000 NW 19th Avenue. Prescott and her sister were reportedly found two blocks away.

Prescott allegedly gave a false name to officers at first, but after she was identified by her photo, she admitted her identity and was arrested on a warrant for failing to appear at a court hearing on a case in which she is accused of driving without a valid license.

Post Miranda, Prescott reportedly admitted taking the car but said the roommate gave her permission; she said she abandoned the car on her way back to return it because she was nervous about being caught and having a warrant.

The roommate reportedly told officers that she did not give Prescott permission to take the car and showed them Facebook messages in which Prescott said she didn’t take the car.

Prescott’s sister reportedly told officers that she drove to the friend’s residence to pick up Prescott, but Prescott insisted on taking the victim’s car “since theirs was almost out of gas.”

Prescott has two misdemeanor convictions for petit theft and paid a fine on those charges this summer. Judge Walter Green set bail at $3,000 on the felony grand theft charge and $2,000 on the failure to appear charge.

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.