Man accused of stealing vehicle, items from vehicles on Currant Road

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. - A man was arrested for allegedly stealing a vehicle and stealing items from vehicles located outside residences along Currant Road, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Jay McFarland, 28, was arrested on the following charges:

• One count of auto theft
• Four counts of theft
• Four counts of theft where defendant has a prior conviction for robbery or burglary

Between August 19-20, officers with the St. Joseph County Police Department investigated the theft of a vehicle and the theft of items from vehicles on Currant Road.

One victim said his 2020 Ford Edge was stolen at some point overnight between August 19 and 20.

According to the victim, his vehicle was in his driveway unlocked and with the key fob inside when it was stolen.

Someone also stole items from inside his unlocked 2019 Ford F350, including tools, three knives, cattle prods, and a cattle prod case, according to reports.

Using an app on his phone, the victim tracked his Edge to a location on Day Road. The vehicle's key fob, his wife's business keys, and a garage door opener were missing from the Edge.

A pair of pliers and one of the cattle prods from his F350 were located in the Edge.

A second victim told police that someone stole her wallet from inside her vehicle on Currant Road that same night.

The victim said a friend borrowed and returned her vehicle that night but the victim wasn't sure if her friend locked the vehicle when returning it.

The victim was woken up by her bank calling her about suspicious purchases on her credit card.

A third victim told police that multiple items were also taken from his unlocked vehicle that night, including two speakers, a cordless battery, three throwing axes, and a wallet with his license, debit and credit cards, and Social Security card inside.

This vehicle was also parked in a driveway on Currant Road.

On Monday, officers were called to a gas station at the corner of McKinley Highway and Bittersweet Road for a report of a man with a handgun.

An officer arrived to find two men, one of whom was identified as Jay McFarland, at McFarland's vehicle.

Police learned the handgun was actually a BB gun and McFarland denied displaying it to anyone, reports said.

McFarland said he was at the gas station to sell a Bluetooth speaker.

The man who arranged to buy the Bluetooth speaker was the speaker's original owner, the second victim police spoke to. The victim said he arranged to buy the speaker because he believed it was his that had been stolen.

When the officer powered the speaker on, it automatically paired with the victim's phone, which only happens when the phone has been connected to the speaker before.

The serial number on the speaker had been scratched off, reports said.

Officers searched McFarland's vehicle and located some of the other victims' belongings, according to police.

The man with McFarland said McFarland just got out of prison on Thursday and that on August 19 and 20, the two were visiting a friend who lived on Currant Road, near Day Road.

On the evening of August 19, the man said McFarland suddenly took off walking down the street.

A couple hours later, McFarland returned driving a dark-colored Ford vehicle.

When asked where he got the vehicle, McFarland said the keys were in it, reports said.

The man told McFarland to return the vehicle because it can be tracked and McFarland just got out of prison.

McFarland drove toward Day Road and allegedly returned an hour later without the vehicle but with items the man believed were stolen.

The friend who lived on Currant Road told police that McFarland and the other man were at his house with others that night and that at one point, McFarland left the residence and returned several hours later.

When the friend went to bed, he discovered he was missing a decorative gold-handled sword, miscellaneous tools, a silver cigarette case, a machete, and a large speaker box.

Officers found the stolen machete and sword inside McFarland's vehicle, reports said.

McFarland has a previous burglary conviction out of St. Joseph County.

He is being held at the St. Joseph County Jail on a $7,500 bond.

McFarland is due in court on August 31.

UPDATE: In February 2023, McFarland pleaded guilty to theft with a prior conviction as part of a plea agreement. His other charges were dismissed as part of the agreement. McFarland was sentenced to one year and 183 days in county jail.