A Gainesville man arrested Friday on suspicion of loitering downtown near The Gelato Company is now accused of a burglary and grand theft earlier that day.
Titus L. Smoaks was seen on surveillance video first taking a $630 rolling recycling cart from The Continuum Apartments, according to arrest records. He told police the container was for picking up trash around a downtown club.
He entered the building through a trash chute around 3:20 a.m., according to the records. Video shows his distinct yellow shirt, black wind-pants with yellow zipper pulls, gold chain with a $100 bill pendant and a smaller gold chain of gold dice.
The items were matched to Smoaks' belongings at the Alachua County Jail, where he was held on a loitering charge, according to the records.
Surveillance video shows Smoaks, 40, trying to get into a nearby pickup truck about 40 minutes after entering the apartment complex. Finding the truck locked, he took $50 worth of bungee cords and tie-down straps from the truck's bed, according to the arrest records.
Smoaks, who told police he works as a painter, was seen loitering near The Gelato Company at 11 SE First Ave. at 4:15 a.m., according to the records.
Wearing a pair of rubber gloves, he pushed on the window of The Gelato Company and the door of the Scruggs & Carmichael law office, 1 SE First Ave. Smoaks couldn't give a police officer a reason for trying to enter the business.
He is held in the Alachua County Jail on a $31,000 bond. He's charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure, grand theft, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, petit theft and loitering, according to jail records.