Gainesville Police arrested two men accused of stealing from Morgan Brothers Supply and fleeing from police.
Elvane Jean Pierre, 23, and Jarmal Miller, 29, were charged with burglary to an unoccupied structure, grand theft and possession of burglary tools. Jean Pierre was also charged with resisting an officer without violence, and Miller was also charged with grand theft auto and aggravated fleeing from an officer.
On Saturday around 7:29 p.m., Jean Pierre and Miller allegedly entered Morgan Brothers Supply at 3310 N. Main St. by cutting a hole in a garage door, according to the report. They went inside the closed business and took about $5,000 in copper.
The suspects left the store in a white 2018 truck. The truck was reported as stolen, according to the report.
A GPD officer saw Miller driving the suspected vehicle out of Morgan Brothers Supply, according to the report.
Another officer attempted to stop the vehicle by turning on his lights and sirens at 3300 N. Main St., but Miller ignored them and continued down North Main Street, according to the report.
Miller continued to drive east on Northeast 28th Avenue and crashed into the yard of a home at 1018 NE 28th Ave., according to the report. It is estimated that he caused about $200 in property damage.
Jean Pierre ran from the crash and was caught, according to the report. Law enforcement officers made contact with him on 200 NE 31st Ave. Miller was arrested around 1000 NE 28th Ave.
Jean Pierre told law enforcement officers that he did not know Miller, but he was going to get paid $500 to load copper into the truck, according to the report.
He said his birthday was in two days and he needed the money. He considered just walking off and not getting in the truck to leave the shop but chose to stay.
Law enforcement officers found bolt cutters, pliers, power tools and a sledgehammer.
Jean Pierre and Miller remained in the Alachua County Jail on Saturday and Sunday. Jean Pierre’s bail was set to $35,000 and Miller’s was set to $50,000.
Follow Devoun Cetoute on Twitter @devoun_cetoute and contact him at dcetoute@alligator.org.
