John McCarthy
By JOHN McCARTHY / V.I. Free Press News Reporter
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A St. Thomas man who claimed he bought a stolen SUV for cash on a handshake deal is facing multiple felony charges after automated police cameras tracked him down in real-time.
Javiel Jackson was arrested and charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, and grand larceny, according to a probable cause fact sheet filed in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.
Midnight Theft To Island Burglaries
The investigation began on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, when a resident reported that his red Toyota RAV4 had been stolen from the yard of his residence overnight. The Virgin Islands Police Department immediately issued an All-Points Bulletin for the vehicle and uploaded its registration information into the VIPD’s FLOCK camera system.
Detectives tracking the vehicle noted that the stolen SUV didn’t just sit idle; it was allegedly utilized in the commission of several burglaries across St. Thomas during the weeks it was missing.
Trapped By The Digital Grid
The breakthrough in the case came at approximately 11:44 a.m. on July 16, 2026, when the VIPD Camera Monitoring Room detected the stolen RAV4 traveling through the Crown Mountain area.
Police units immediately flooded the area and established surveillance. Officers with the Special Operations Bureau initiated a traffic stop in the Donkey Hill area and took Jackson into custody.
No Title, No Bill Of Sale, No Clue
During a subsequent interview at the Criminal Investigation Bureau, Jackson allegedly told detectives that he bought the SUV for $2,500 in cash from an individual he knew only by the street name “Talawah” near Island Green. Jackson admitted to police that he received no title, bill of sale, registration, or ownership documents of any kind, and was simply handed the keys after handing over the cash.
Detectives noted in the affidavit that Jackson’s statements were vague and inconsistent, failing to provide any verifiable details or legitimate identifying information for the seller.
Mother Flees The Scene
Jackson also implicated his mother, Avaleen Jackson, stating she drove him to Crown Mountain to meet the seller and followed behind him as he drove the stolen vehicle away. Jackson noted that when police triggered the traffic stop at Donkey Hill, his mother drove away from the scene without stopping.
Police indicated that additional investigation is underway to determine if his mother will face criminal liability for aiding and abetting.
Jackson was booked and held pending his Advice of Rights hearing in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.
