CHARLOTTE AMALIE — One of three suspects accused of stealing pitbull puppies near Fairchild Park on St. Thomas last month voluntarily surrendered herself to police on Friday, authorities said.
Heather R. McBrayer, 38, of Anna’s Retreat, was arrested at 5:15 p.m. Friday and charged with grand larceny and trespassing, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
“McBrayer is one of three suspects who reportedly stole puppies from a residence without permission of the owner in the area of St. Peter Mountain on April 13,” VIPD spokesman Toby Derima said.
Derima said that when McBrayer learned that she was wanted for questioning in the theft of St. Peter Mountain puppies and turned herself in to police.
He told the Virgin Islands Free Press today that the three suspects have not returned the missing dogs to their rightful owner yet.
Bail for McBrayer was set at $20,000. She posted bail and was released.
This case is currently under active investigation.
If you have information that can assist police, you are urged to call 911, the Criminal Investigation Bureau at (340) 774-2211 extension 5579 or the paying anonymous tip line Crime Stoppers USVI at (800) 222-TIPS.
Meanwhile, the owner of the puppies, put out a desperate plea on social media prior to the arrest on Friday.
“On Monday April 13 2020, I pulled up in my yard around 4:20 pm , i live on a private road, two houses on my road. Saw a white lady in my driveway, and a couple others in a car. I said: ”Miss, what are you doing here, this is private property.” WL: we got lost. Didn’t take it on this is a common thing. I started to reverse down my driveway, while reversing I saw one of my dogs I had lock up because she was in heat and I didn’t want her bred running to me I was like how the hell she got out her cage. I jump out my truck now to put her back in the cage, when I look, two more of my dogs on a lower part of my yard fighting, I keep these dogs separate because they aggressive to one another, and one is old, the old one lives on my porch, went and separated them. When I start to gather my marbles now I realize these women came on my private property loose all my dogs and stole three puppies… the twist now: when they realize they been caught now, they call the humane society for me. Saying I got many dogs on my property and no food and water(pure lies) the humane society order them not to go on my property call the police to do a welfare check and if it’s a problem they will then act…. mean time I piss! I gone by the humane society, they say it’s you the people called about, we warn them not to go on your yard, go to the police station and make a report. Gone police station now, these people done call police on me and make report on me, police on the way to my house, I made contact with the police on the way to my house, gave them a walk through that it’s bull shit, these women walk up my driveway, walk on my deck, my driveway is over 100 feet and loose my dogs and stole three pups. Police call back the women” we are here to the residence, bring back the man dogs. WL: I no longer have the dogs we drop them off ????. WL now hangs up phone and refuse to talk with police now. Stop answering phones. Police now have their license plates now because they gave it to them to meet up for trespassing on my property and stealing my dogs. The police now track them down to their house by using their license plate # (good police work) you know where these woman live? Wintberg and Anna’s retreat!!!!!! I live St. Peter mountain by the zip line!!!!! So they drove miles to come and fuck with me, steal, loose and damage my dogs! Police find them now, they confess To everything, one curse out the police tell them get the fuck off their property! They don’t have to speak to them ! Now today is may 17 no arrest, no dogs no justice. I did everything I had to do legally. Now if me a black man had go on white people yard steal their dogs got caught red handed I would’ve been in jail! I frustrated now, and this look like white privileged 7 weeks tomorrow this happened! I wasn’t gonna come on Facebook with it, because I was hoping the police do their job, but if I go handle my business now, the FBI will come for me again!!! Since I bought this place 19 years now these white people won’t get over it!!!!”