Crime-Scene Selfie Helps Nab 2 Men in $100,000 California Burglary

Q: One suspect posted bail, the other jailed for conspiracy. What does this suggest about their alleged roles in the crime?

It suggests prosecutors currently see Daniel Lemas as the more direct participant in the burglary itself, while Dennis Tylij is being held as an alleged partner in planning or coordinating it. Police said Lemas was tied to “multiple felony charges” and that investigators recovered alleged selfie photos showing him committing the burglary. That points to more direct evidence placing him at the scene and actively involved in the theft. His release after posting $25,000 bail does not mean the case against him is weaker; it mainly shows bail was set at an amount he was able to pay. Tylij, by contrast, was booked on a felony conspiracy charge and remained in jail as of the latest report. A conspiracy charge focuses on an alleged agreement to commit the crime and some act taken to advance it, even if the person was not the one physically carrying out every part of the burglary. In practice, that can indicate investigators believe he had a coordinating, assisting, or shared-planning role. Still, the difference in custody status does not by itself prove one man was more culpable than the other. It may reflect bail terms, ability to post bail, prior record, or court conditions rather than a final judgment about their roles. Based on the reported evidence, the clearest distinction is that Lemas is alleged to have been directly captured participating in the burglary, while Tylij is alleged to have been involved through a criminal agreement tied to it.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 11

American Canyon police said a selfie found on Daniel Lemas’s phone placed him at a Bay Area burglary scene, helping lead to felony charges after more than $100,000 in tools, copper wire and vehicles were stolen.
Tuesday’s first arrest came after Alameda County sheriff’s deputies stopped Lemas, 53, in a vehicle linked to the theft; officers said photos and other evidence tied him directly to the crime.
Wednesday brought a second arrest when Hayward police stopped another vehicle tied to the burglary and officers arrested Dennis Tylij, 49, on a felony conspiracy charge.
A search warrant served later that day at a Hayward address recovered some of the stolen property; both men had bail set at $25,000.
The case adds to a growing pattern of suspects creating their own evidence through social media or phone images, with police citing the selfie as a key break.