A 28-year-old Marion County man is behind bars after allegedly stealing a pickup truck because he “does not like walking.”
On Thursday, January 1, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a residence in Ocklawaha after receiving reports of a stolen vehicle. A male victim told the deputy that his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck had been stolen from his property, according to the arrest report.
The victim advised that the truck had been parked outside his residence, and the theft occurred when he was not home. According to the report, the victim suspected that a man, identified as Jacob Clayton Kimbel, had committed the theft because he had allegedly stolen the victim’s vehicle in the past.
In the report, the deputy noted that one of Kimbel’s relatives spoke with law enforcement and advised that the stolen truck had been observed at the relative’s home that afternoon. The relative allegedly mentioned that Kimbel had admitted to the theft and was planning on returning the vehicle at a later time.
On Sunday, January 11, an MCSO deputy was on patrol in the 21000 block of SE Highway 42 in Umatilla when the stolen truck was spotted in the parking lot of a business. While watching the truck, the deputy allegedly saw Kimbel open the hood and attempt to jump start the vehicle.
Kimbel was taken into custody by law enforcement, and video surveillance footage from the business allegedly showed Kimbel driving the stolen truck the previous afternoon. The report stated that Kimbel was shown on the footage exiting the vehicle shortly after pulling into the parking lot.
After being read his Miranda rights, Kimbel allegedly claimed that he was attempting to help another individual start the truck. According to the report, Kimbel was unable to provide a name or description of this individual.
When asked about the surveillance footage, which allegedly showed Kimbel driving and exiting the truck the previous day, he allegedly stated that he was “driving it for diagnostic reasons.”
During a search of the truck, deputies found a backpack belonging to Kimbel that contained his Florida-issued identification card and credit cards. In addition, deputies allegedly found one of the victim’s credit cards in the backpack.
The report said that Kimbel was taken to a local hospital, where he allegedly told a nurse that he “stole the vehicle because he does not like walking.”
Kimbel was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where he remains in custody. His bond has been set at $20,000, and he is facing the following charges: grand theft of a motor vehicle and possession of a stolen credit card.
A court date for Kimbel has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.