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Selfies Lead to Arrests in $100K American Canyon Burglary

Digital photos taken at the crime scene provided direct evidence that led to cross-jurisdiction traffic stops, arrests, partial recovery of stolen property.

Overview

  • A business on the 1100 block of Green Island Road reported a burglary that stole more than $100,000 in tools, copper wire and vehicles, which was first reported on Monday.
  • Investigators identified two vehicles tied to the theft and shared that information with neighboring agencies, prompting traffic stops that moved the probe forward.
  • The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office stopped one suspect vehicle and American Canyon officers arrested 53-year-old Daniel Lemas after finding selfie photographs that allegedly show him committing the crime.
  • Hayward police stopped the second vehicle and officers arrested 49-year-old Dennis Tylij; a search warrant at a Hayward residence on Arden Road recovered some of the stolen items.
  • Both men were booked into the Napa County jail on felony charges including conspiracy, vandalism and grand theft, and the case highlights a wider Bay Area rise in copper and tool thefts that has increased interagency coordination and reliance on digital evidence.