ST. THOMAS — A man is facing felony charges after reportedly approaching a woman to try to sell her a power inverter that she recognized as having been stolen from her vehicle. 

According to court documents, police were called in to Neomi’s Car Wash on February 14, where they met the owner of a nearby mechanic shop. She told them that a few days earlier someone had stolen items out of her Nissan Pathfinder, which had been left unlocked. 

On Valentine’s Day, a man reportedly approached the business owner and offered to sell her a power inverter. Upon inspecting the item, she told police that she recognized it as the same power inverter stolen from her vehicle days earlier, and confiscated the item from the would-be seller before calling 911 for assistance. 

Police made contact with John David Turnick Jr., the man who had tried to sell the business owner her own stolen property. He not only reportedly admitted to trying to sell the power inverter, but also to being in possession of the other items that had been taken, including a speaker, flashlights, and a hammer. 

Police reports indicate that Turnick initially confessed to being the one who removed the items out of the woman’s Pathfinder, but after having been transported to the Ancilmo Marshall Command Police Station for questioning, he reportedly said that he had received the items from someone else who he preferred not to name. 

Turnick was arrested and charged for possession of stolen property, and was remanded into custody after being unable to post initial bail of $25,000.

In court on Thursday, Magistrate Yolan Brow Ross found probable cause to uphold the charge against him, and maintained bail as set. If Turnick is able to secure his release from detention, he will be subject to house arrest with the use of an electronic monitor until his matter is disposed of. 

His next court appearance is scheduled for March 6.