Social media users help track down suspected vehicle thief
CHESTER — City police made quick work of a vehicle theft case Friday aided by proactive social media users.
Justin A. Davis, 37, of Irondale was taken into custody within 12 hours by Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office across state lines, after alleging stealing a car in downtown Chester.
City police and Hancock County deputies were dispatched shortly after 6:15 a.m. Friday to Chaney’s, where an unidentified female victim had left her 2006 Buick sedan running while shopping in the convenience store portion of the business.
A man, who had been wandering the area on foot, got into her vehicle and drove off, crossing the Jennings-Randolph Bridge into Ohio, according to a Chester police press release issued Saturday morning.
The woman later exited the store, found her vehicle missing and called dispatch.
After notifying Columbiana County of the theft since he was witnessed traveling that way, Chester police obtained surveillance photos from various locations and shared them on social media, which resulted in officers learning of Davis’ identity and obtaining an arrest warrant for grand larceny.
The stolen vehicle was recovered in Salineville, virtually undamaged and stuck in deep snow, after another social media had posted home security footage of a man resembling Davis down to a facial tattoo wandering through his yard. Eventually after returning back to Irondale, Davis was taken into custody.
Davis is currently being held as a fugitive from justice awaiting extradition to West Virginia, where he would face those charges.
Chester Police Chief Chuck Stanley wanted to express his appreciation for the community’s help in solving this case relatively quickly. “(We want) to thank the members of the community who shared the information and helped to identify (as well as) locate Davis, so he could be picked up without incident.”
No further information is available about bond or court proceedings.
It is expected that West Virginia will file a request to extradite him from Ohio to their jurisdiction for prosecution.