Mugshot of Jediah Lockhart. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — A man has been charged with petty larceny and second-degree burglary as a crime of domestic violence. Separately, on Nov. 12 the V.I.P.D. issued a notice for the same man's arrest on charges of attempted murder, first-degree rape, and third-degree burglary.
Jediah Lockhart was arrested after surveillance footage showed him removing the security camera from the home of a woman he shares a child with. According to the probable cause fact sheet, on the night of October 30th, the victim received a call from a security company notifying her that they received an alert of a possible break-in at her residence. They indicated that police had been notified and were on their way.
While on her way to her residence the woman received a call from Jediah Lockhart stating that he went to her apartment and was calling her name out loud. Upon arriving home she met officers who advised her that her front door was found ajar. However, they stated that no one was found during their inspection of the residence. She made a check of the residence with the officers and did not observe anything missing at the time.
According to the woman, while at her residence Lockhart kept calling her phone and when she answered he told her that when he arrived at her apartment the front door was open and he made a check inside to make sure everything was okay. He also claimed that he saw two unknown males running from inside her apartment. The victim says she told Lockhart that he had no business being at her home and that he was lying about the door being open because she remembered locking her door and activating the alarm before she left. Before hanging up, she told him that he was going to be in trouble because she went to the police.
After police left, the woman noticed that her camera was missing and logged into her security system to view the surveillance footage. While playing the video she saw Lockhart and another unknown male inside her apartment. Lockhart was also captured walking up to the camera and removing it, causing the visual to go black. The woman provided the officers with the footage and they recalled observing the same individual driving out from the parking lot while they were waiting for the victim to arrive home.
Days later, on November 13th, the victim's mother heard a knock on her front door but when she opened the door no one was there. Instead, what she found on her steps was a video camera which the victim later confirmed was the one taken from her apartment. A bulletin was subsequently placed on Lockhart. On November 19th he was present at the police station with his attorney and was placed under arrest.
At his advisement hearing on Monday, Lockhart’s bail was set at $5,000 which will be fully secured through the posting of property. As part of his bail conditions he is required to maintain a minimum distance of 1,000 feet from the victim at all times. He is also prohibited from entering the housing community where she resides.
If convicted of second-degree burglary, Lockhart faces a maximum imprisonment of 15 years. Meanwhile, the offense of petty larceny is punishable by a maximum sentence of 1 year, a fine of $200 or both a fine and imprisonment.
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