Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Chadrick Rodell Smith Sr., 54, was arrested yesterday on a warrant accusing him of stealing an e-bike from the University of Florida campus in July. According to the arresting officer, Smith has previously admitted to stealing more than 30 bicycles over the past two years.
The incident reportedly began at about 5:20 p.m. on July 19, when the owner parked her e-bike at a rack near Murphree Hall and secured it with a cable lock. Surveillance video allegedly shows Smith arriving at the bike rack roughly 15 minutes later while riding a different bicycle. He reportedly parked beside the victim’s e-bike, examined it for about a minute, then moved to another bike on the rack. Police say he removed that bicycle, rode away, and returned a few minutes later to put it back where he found it.
Smith then allegedly continued looking over the bikes before returning to the victim’s e-bike. Investigators say he spent about a minute manipulating and removing the cable lock before riding away on the victim’s bike.
The responding University of Florida Police Department officer wrote that he had handled three other cases involving Smith and had interviewed him at the jail “numerous times.” The officer reported that Smith admitted to stealing more than 30 bicycles from UF and the Gainesville area during a two-year period.
Smith had been trespassed from all UF and UF Health Shands properties in June 2025, with the trespass order set to remain in effect for three years.
At about 7:09 p.m. on August 6, a UFPD officer reportedly saw Smith enter UF Health Shands and followed him inside. When the officer spoke with him, Smith allegedly said he knew he was trespassed from the property but had gone there to use a telephone.
Asked about work gloves and tools he was carrying, Smith reportedly said he had not used the items for anything “yet.”
Smith has been charged with grand theft and two counts of trespassing after a warning. He has 24 felony convictions (non-violent) and 23 misdemeanor convictions (three violent); he has served six state prison sentences, with his most recent release on June 21, 2026. Senior Judge Bo Bayer set bail at $150,000.
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.
