ST. CROIX — A St. Croix man has been charged with burglary and several other offenses after allegedly kicking in his grandmother's front door, taking her vehicle keys and using her pickup truck to repeatedly ram a locked gate before driving away in her SUV. The man was arrested after returning to the property while police were investigating the incident.
Jonathan Burton was arrested Tuesday, October 20, following the confrontation at his grandmother's Estate Diamond residence, which began the previous evening.
According to police, Mr. Burton arrived at the property between 8:30 and 8:45 p.m. Monday, climbed over a fence and walked through the garden before knocking on his grandmother's front door. She told him it was too late to visit, but he continued knocking for some time before the noise stopped.
Believing her grandson had left, the woman continued with her evening. However, between 5:30 and 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, the knocking resumed.
This time, Burton allegedly kicked the front door with enough force to damage its hardware and locking mechanism before pushing his way inside. His grandmother told investigators that he proceeded to a table near the entrance, grabbed her vehicle keys and left the house.
Burton then reportedly entered his grandmother's Chevrolet pickup truck and drove it into a secondary gate on the property. He allegedly rammed the gate several times until the lock gave way, then reversed the truck and parked it.
After getting out to open the damaged gate, Burton reportedly entered another of his grandmother's vehicles, a red Ford compact SUV, and drove away.
His grandmother told police she had not authorized him to use either vehicle. Burton's sister, who reportedly shares the Ford with their grandmother, also confirmed that she had not given him permission to take it.
While officers were taking the grandmother's statement, they noticed the red Ford driving past the property. Police said they heard someone shouting through the vehicle's window before the SUV stopped beside their marked patrol vehicle.
The woman identified the driver as her grandson.
According to investigators, Burton expressed disbelief that his grandmother had contacted the police. He reportedly complained that the incident would ruin his previously clean record and told officers that he had never been incarcerated.
When questioned about the confrontation, Burton provided an account that police described as “generally consistent” with his grandmother's version of events.
He was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree burglary, forcible and unlawful entry, unauthorized use of a vehicle, damaging or tampering with a vehicle, and destruction of property as a crime of domestic violence.
Burton was initially remanded into custody before appearing Wednesday, October 21, before Magistrate Judge Yolan Brow Ross.
The magistrate found probable cause to uphold the charges and set bail at $50,000, requiring a $200 cash payment to secure his release pending trial.
Burton has since been released on bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 4
