California men allegedly stole over $100k of tools and vehicles, then took selfies of themselves doing it, handing police the evidence they needed

Two men from Hayward, California, have been arrested over an alleged theft of more than $100,000 worth of tools, copper wire, and vehicles from a business in American Canyon, according to the American Canyon Police Department (ACPD).

What allegedly made the case straightforward for investigators was that one of the suspects reportedly took selfies of himself during the theft, which later became part of the evidence used against him.

The ACPD shared information about two vehicles believed to be connected to the incident with other law enforcement agencies. That coordination between agencies is apparently what led to both suspects being stopped and detained in the days following the alleged crime.

Neither suspect has been convicted, and the charges against them remain allegations at this stage, reports Brobible. The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies across different jurisdictions, according to the ACPD.

Multi-agency effort leads to arrests, recovered goods, and felony charges against both suspects

According to the ACPD, the burglary was reported on July 6, 2026, at a business located in the 1100 block of Green Island Road in American Canyon. They added that the following day, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office notified the ACPD that one of the vehicles of interest had been stopped and its driver detained. 

ACPD said officers responded to the scene and collected selfie photographs of the driver allegedly committing the crimes. This case is not the first time criminals filmed themselves stealing and faced consequences for it.

The driver was identified as 53-year-old Daniel Lemas of Hayward, according to the ACPD. Lemas was placed under arrest for burglary and booked into the Napa County Department of Corrections on numerous felony charges associated with the alleged burglary, per the department.

On July 8, the Hayward Police Department notified the ACPD that the second vehicle of interest had been stopped and its driver detained within their jurisdiction, according to the department. ACPD said they responded and arrested the second suspect, identified as 49-year-old Dennis Tylij, also of Hayward. Tylij was booked into the Napa County Department of Corrections on a charge of felony conspiracy to commit a crime, per the ACPD.

On the same date, the department said, ACPD, Napa Sheriff Detectives, Hayward Police Officers, and members of the Napa Special Investigations Bureau served a search warrant at a location in the 3200 block of Arden Road in Hayward. Theft cases have also played out in surprising ways elsewhere, such as one incident where a customer swallowed a ring worth over $46,000 in what was caught on camera. 

At the Arden Road location, officers reportedly recovered some of the items allegedly stolen from the American Canyon business. The department did not specify which items were recovered or what portion of the estimated $100,000 in stolen goods was found at the location. The ACPD credited cooperation between multiple law enforcement agencies as a key factor in identifying and apprehending both suspects following the alleged incident.