Accused car thief offered $500,000 bail

A St James man who was reportedly arrested after being held with a motor car that had been reported stolen, was offered $500,000 bail when he appeared in the St James Parish Court last Wednesday.

Andre Clarke, of a Norwood address, is charged with larceny of a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property.

Allegations are that on July 17, a grey Toyota Axio motor car was stolen from Harbour View in Kingston, and the owner reported the theft to the police.

spotted with car

The following day, officers were carrying out an operation in the Wiltshire community in St James, when Clarke was seen at a property with a vehicle matching the description of the stolen car.

When questioned by the cops, Clarke claimed to have bought the car, but could not produce the papers for the vehicle; he was subsequently arrested.

During Clarke's bail hearing, his attorney, Henry McCurdy, told Parish Judge Sandria Wong-Small that the defendant had been cooperating with the police's investigations.

"He has denied that the car is stolen, and says that he bought it from someone. He's not a flight risk, he can find suitable sureties, and he has been very cooperative with the police," McCurdy said.

Wong-Small subsequently offered the bail with three sureties, and ordered him to report to the police twice a week.

He was also given a curfew order restricting him to be at home between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. The matter is set for mention on October 17.