Man arrested for stealing Jeep from Key Haven

A 40-year-old homeless Key West man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after he was caught in Marathon with a 2018 Jeep Wrangler stolen from a house in Key Haven, Stock Island.

Jason Aaron Gibson was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle.

Middle Keys Sgt. Christian Kellenberger, Deputy Bryan McKeone and Traffic Enforcement Unit Deputy Andrew Leird all responded to the Chevron gas station, 13847 Overseas Highway, about 3:30 p.m. regarding a suspicious vehicle. They arrived to find an orange Jeep left unattended and running. Deputy Leird was also investigating a hit-and-run at a nearby business involving the same vehicle. There were scratches and dents to the Jeep consistent with being in a crash.

Leird was first to arrive and found a shirtless man, identified as Gibson by his driver’s license, walking away from the gas station. He was intoxicated. The man was stopped for questioning.

Sgt. Kellenberger found a Social Security card in the front seat of the Jeep with the name Jason Gibson.

The owner of the Jeep was contacted. The owner said he Jeep was brand new and that he gave no one permission to take it. He added that he did not know Gibson.

Gibson initially denied knowing anything about the Jeep, but then stood up, placed his hands behind his back and admitted to stealing the Jeep for the purposes of having a “joy ride.” Gibson stated he was working as an electrician and stole the car from a job site.

Gibson was taken to jail.

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