One of three charged over stolen JUTC toll tag granted $200,000 bail

A woman who was a passenger in a private motor car that was fitted with a toll tag belonging to bus company Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) was on Friday granted $200,000 with a surety in the St Catherine Parish Court.

Ann-Marie Bartley, along with Robert Edwards, who was driving the car, and Steve O'Connor, who is a driver at JUTC, are jointed charged with conspiracy to steal, toll evasion, unauthorised interference with toll collection, fraudulent use of a toll device, misuse of government property and obtaining property by false pretence.

Bail was not heard for Edwards and O'Connor as the court was told that the police have indicated that additional charges are being pursued against them.

The men were then further remanded.

All three are to return to court on Friday, May 9.

Allegations are that on April 25, Edwards and Bartley travelled through a toll booth in St Catherine without paying.

Video surveillance at the booth took the car’s particulars and found anomalies.

The police were called in and an investigation was launched, which reportedly revealed that the tag was stolen from a JUTC bus.

Edwards and Bartley were arrested, and subsequent investigations led to the arrest of O'Connor, who is a driver at the bus company.

The trio was later charged.

- Rasbert Turner

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.