Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Muwwakkil, 35, was arrested early this morning after police said he was found riding a bicycle that had allegedly been stolen in June, just weeks after he was released from the Alachua County Jail following a conviction in another bicycle theft case.
According to the arrest report, a University of Florida Police Department officer stopped a bicyclist at about 3:49 a.m. on August 2 near West University Avenue and 13th Street because the bike did not have lights. The rider, later identified as Muwwakkil, reportedly told the officer the bicycle belonged to a friend and that he was returning it. Police said the bike’s serial number was registered with the university, and officers noticed sticker residue in the spot where a registration sticker would typically be displayed.
The bicycle’s registered owner reportedly told police the bike had been stolen on June 3 from the 100 block of NW 6th Street, although he had not filed a report before the bike was recovered. He told officers he wanted to pursue charges and estimated the bicycle’s value at $1,200.
Muwwakkil, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, was arrested on a charge of grand theft. Court records show he has five felony convictions, including two classified as violent, and 28 misdemeanor convictions, including one violent offense. He has served one state prison sentence and was released in 2023. His most recent Alachua County arrest was in April, also in connection with a stolen bicycle; after entering a plea of nolo contendere, he was fined $336, released from jail on May 11, and has not made any payments toward the fine.
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.
