Police: Man accused of stealing excavator, driving it into Walmart

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A man was arrested after he reportedly stole an excavator and drove it into the side of a Walmart store in Gainesville, Florida, earlier this week.

>> Read more trending news

According to the Gainesville Police Department, officers were called to a Walmart at 2900 SW 42nd St. where a suspect had stolen a large excavator and drove it through a wall at the store. Officers also found a storage unit in the area that the suspect also drove through, they said.

The incident happened Monday night, according to WTSP. Crews spent time on Tuesday cleaning up the area.

In an arrest report obtained by WCJB, the suspect was identified as Jesse Smith, 47. He got into a Komatsu excavator that is valued at $350,000 without any authorization or permission. He reportedly hotwired it and drove it away from a worksite on Southwest 47th Street.

Four buildings were damaged or destroyed, according to the news station.

Smith reportedly drove the excavator through fences, over a utility pole and through Walmart’s parking lot, the arrest report said, according to WCJB.

The news outlet said that after Smith crashed the excavator into the south side of the Walmart building, he jumped off it and allegedly entered the store armed with a machete. Once confronted by officers, he dropped the machete but reportedly resisted arrest.

Businesses that were impacted by the incident had an estimated property damage of about $2 million, WCJB reported.

Police say no injuries were reported.

Smith has been charged with grand theft, property damage, resisting an officer and trespassing, according to an arrest report obtained by WCJB.