Gainesville man arrested for acting as lookout in robbery of car wash

Staff report

ALACHUA, Fla. – Stephen Dewayne Rippy, 56, was arrested last night and charged with burglary with property damage and conspiracy to commit a felony after allegedly serving as a lookout during a robbery of Brighton Beach Car Wash.

At about 3:40 a.m. on July 21, three men arrived at the car wash (11202 NW U.S. Hwy 441) and damaged one of the surveillance cameras. Two of the men faced U.S. Hwy 441 as lookouts, and the third removed and damaged the soffit and crawled into the business.

Inside the business, the third suspect used an angle grinder to open the two change machines and stole money from the change machines and the two bill-collecting machines before climbing back out through the soffit.

Video surveillance reportedly showed one suspect telling the person inside, “You’re good,” when cars drove by. A saw can also be heard on the video, and sparks can be seen from the change machine.

The damage to the business is estimated at over $9,000.

When an Alachua Police Department officer responded, the business owner reportedly identified the suspect on the video as Rippy and said he had a 30-year personal and law enforcement-related history with Rippy.

A few hours after the car wash burglary, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a business burglary that was similar to the car wash burglary. A GPD investigator in that case reportedly found that Rippy was pawning items at Play It Again Sports, and video from Play It Again Sports reportedly showed Rippy wearing the same clothing shown in the car wash surveillance video.

Post Miranda, Rippy reportedly admitted he had been at the car wash at the time of the burglary and that he had served as a lookout while another man entered the business.

Rippy has four felony convictions (none violent) and nine misdemeanor convictions (none violent). He has served two state prison sentences and was last released in February 2024. Judge Meshon Rawls set his bail at $35,000.

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.

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