The Newberry man was arrested for vehicle burglary and had an outstanding warrant for vehicle theft

Employee report

NEWBERRY, Fla. – Kobe Deon Delima, 22, was arrested yesterday morning and charged with burglary of an unoccupied vehicle during a state of emergency; He also had an arrest warrant for grand larceny of a motor vehicle.

At approximately 9:15 a.m. on September 26, a Newberry woman reported seeing a man sitting in her vehicle in her driveway; She said the man did not have permission to be in her vehicle and appeared to be “sneaking around.” She said he ran when she saw him and she yelled for a family member to chase him.

The family member told the responding Alachua County sheriff's deputy that he had seen the man's face and could identify him if he saw him again; The man was last seen fleeing the woman's home and Delima was later found at his home a few blocks away. The family member reportedly identified Delima as the man who had been in the vehicle.

Delima was charged with burglary of an unoccupied vehicle during a state of emergency (Hurricane Helene) and also had a warrant for grand theft of a vehicle.

The car theft incident was reported by an auto body shop on August 23; The business owner reported that someone entered the business and stole several thousand dollars in cash as well as a red Volkswagen Jetta that belonged to the business owner. On August 25, the Alachua County Sheriff's Office received a tip that the Jetta was parked behind a church in Newberry; The fingerprints from the vehicle and items in the vehicle reportedly matched Delima's fingerprints and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Delima has two felony convictions (one violent) and two misdemeanor convictions (one violent). He was arrested in 2022 for fleeing law enforcement and hit-and-run causing property damage, but the charges were later dropped. While in custody in that case, he was arrested in 2023 for breaking several car windows with a brick; In this case, a guilty verdict was refused and he was given an 18-month suspended sentence. After violating his probation by making contact with the victim, he was arrested and later sentenced to 21 days in jail with credit for 21 days served; The conditions of the original probation were then reinstated. Approximately six months later he was arrested for assault, trespassing and battery on a police officer and the suspended sentence was commuted to community control (house arrest). He violated community control terms twice and was sentenced in January 2024 to 180 days in jail, with credit for 159 days served.

Delima also faces a sworn complaint of voyeurism, but has not been charged with that charge.

Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $60,000 in both cases.

Articles about arrests are based on law enforcement reports. The allegations listed are from the arrest report and/or court records and are allegations only. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.