A 50-year-old Ocala man was arrested after a female victim accused him of stealing her golf cart.

On Wednesday, June 29, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to the 2100 block of NW 47th Circle in Ocala in reference to a stolen vehicle. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with the female victim who advised that she had allowed Andrew W. Vanhoose to use her 1998 Blue Club Car golf cart for a trip to a nearby store.

The victim stated that she knew Vanhoose since he had previously helped her with some yard work. According to the victim, she waited for Vanhoose to return the golf cart. When he later returned without the golf cart, he informed her that it had allegedly “run out of battery life” and was left on the side of the road along U.S. Highway 27.

When the victim asked for more details regarding the golf cart, she stated that Vanhoose claimed to be unaware of its exact location.

The deputy next made contact Vanhoose, and he stated that he was allowed to use the victim’s golf cart to get groceries. While on his way to the store, he claimed that the golf cart ran out of battery life. He stated that he did not have a way to charge it, and so he “left the keys in the ignition and walked home.”

Vanhoose claimed that he was going to have his spouse tow the golf cart back to the victim’s address. He added that he was unaware of the golf cart’s current location and did not know who may have taken it.

On Friday, July 8, an MCSO detective investigating the theft spoke with the victim. She recalled stepping outside her residence and finding Vanhoose sitting in the golf cart. She stated that he appeared to be trying to start it with an object that was not the key, and she observed that the battery charger was inside the golf cart.

Vanhoose then told her that he was wanting to use the golf cart to get groceries, and she allowed him to borrow it. After several hours had passed, she became suspicious that Vanhoose was attempting to steal the golf cart, and she contacted law enforcement.

When Vanhoose returned to the victim’s residence, she advised that he claimed to have left it by the bank. She told him to retrieve the golf cart, and he left her residence and did not return.

The detective spoke with a witness who was at the Dollar General near the incident location on the day of the theft. The witness recalled observing Vanhoose as he left the area in the golf cart. According to the witness, Vanhoose was traveling north of Highway 27 and a bicycle was on top of the golf cart.

After speaking with the witness, the detective located Vanhoose and conducted an interview. Vanhoose claimed that he drove the golf cart westbound on the south side of Highway 27 towards McDonald’s. He advised that he entered the restaurant, purchased a water, and then discovered that the golf cart was missing when he stepped outside.

Vanhoose denied any knowledge of where the golf cart was located or who may have taken it. When the detective informed Vanhoose that his statement was not lining up with the information that had been gathered, Vanhoose told the detective he did not want to discuss the incident any further.

According to the MCSO report, the detective asked if Vanhoose could at least provide the location of the golf cart. He told the detective that if no more questions were asked, he could get the golf cart back in “a couple of days.”

Vanhoose was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $2,000 bond. He is facing a felony charge for grand theft of a motor vehicle.

A court date has been scheduled on Tuesday, August 9 at 9 a.m., according to jail records.