WESTOVER, W.Va. — A Pennsylvania fugitive accused of stealing a vehicle and bringing it across state lines into West Virginia was arrested by Westover police officers.
According to a press release by the Westover Police Department, officers arrested John Christopher Sullivan, of Carmichaels, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday after a call of a reported vehicle theft at the Westridge Exxon station.
Officers arrived at the scene on Tuesday at around 3:47 p.m. where they observed an unidentified male arriving at the gas station in a white Hyundai, which was later confirmed to be stolen out of Carmichaels, PA. The suspect was then observed entering a Chevy Tahoe and fleeing the scene. It was later determined that the vehicle was also stolen.
The Granville Police Department also reportedly tracked the stolen Chevy Tahoe when it entered the University Town Center Walmart parking lot where the suspect, later identified as Sullivan, was seen entering the store and leaving the vehicle unoccupied. Surveillance footage was later provided by Walmart employees, where officers were able to determine Sullivan’s direction of travel when he left the parking lot.
Officers later located the vehicle with Sullivan inside, less than 30 minutes after the initial call was made to police. Officers later discovered that he was a fugitive from justice in Pennsylvania who was wanted in connection to the theft of the white Hyundai that was seen at the Westridge Exxon.
Sullivan was charged by the Westover Police Department with grand larceny, transferring stolen goods and fugitive from justice. He was arraigned and issued a $20,000 bond.
The Granville Police Department, the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police assisted in the arrest.