EPHRATA, PA — A 19-year-old New Jersey man has been charged with theft by unlawful taking following the alleged theft of a BMW sedan during a test drive.
Javee Santiago, of New Jersey, was arrested on a warrant and extradited from New Jersey to face charges in Lancaster County.
Ephrata Police Department began investigating the theft on May 20, 2026.
The victim reported that while on a test drive with Santiago, they went to a Walmart parking lot to look over the vehicle.
Santiago allegedly waited for the victim to exit the vehicle without the key fob and then drove off.
An arrest warrant was issued through MDJ Landis’ office on June 1, 2026.
Santiago was arrested on the warrant in New Jersey on June 9, 2026, and was incarcerated in the Morris County Correctional Facility.
Ephrata Police extradited Santiago back to Lancaster County on June 11, 2026, where he was arraigned by MDJ Landis.
Santiago was transported to Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $50,000 cash bail.
