The V.I. Police Department on Friday arrested one suspect in the theft of two vehicles taken from the Department of Health, and recovered both vehicles.
According to the police report, at 1:26 p.m. Sept. 25, officers were notified of the theft of two vehicles from the VI Department of Health’s headquarters in Estate Richmond.
Officers quickly discovered the vehicles, the report said, and the Department of Property and Procurement was able to track them using GPS. The vehicles were tracked through Sion Hill, Sion Farm and Peter’s Rest. Both were recovered undamaged, but will undergo a thorough inspection before being returned to the Health Department’s fleet for use by staff.
Officers arrested 25-year old Jeremy I. Allen, who admitted to taking one of the vehicles. He was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. Bail for Allen was set at $50,000. Unable to post bail, he was turned over to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections pending his advice of rights hearing. The other suspect is still at large. The investigation into this incident continues.
Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion expressed her gratitude for the collaboration between all three agencies as they acted quickly to recover the stolen vehicles.
“The safety and security of our premises is a top priority for us,” she said. “This news is disappointing as these vehicles are critical to our operations, especially our COVID-19 response. We use our vehicles for everything from community engagement to patient transport. I am relieved that this matter has been rectified quickly.”