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THEY DON'T THINK IT WAS A
SPUR OF THE MOMENT THING.
THEY THINK HE HAD BEEN WATCHING
HIM.
THIEVES ARE TARGETING RURAL
RANCHES IN SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
THE DEPUTIES SAY SOCIAL MEDIA
IS HELPING THEM TRACK COUNSEL
THE SUSPECTS, AND THANKS TO
SOME SURVEILLANCE VIDEO, AT
LEAST ONE PERSON IS BEHIND
BARS.
JENNIFER McGRAW IS IN THE
NEWSROOM WITH MORE ON THIS
GROWING PROBLEM.
Reporter: I IMAGINE IT'S
PRETTY HARD FOR THESE GUYS TO
KEEP AN EYE ON THEIR FARM WHEN
THEY'RE OUT THERE IN THE FIELD.
THEY'RE TAKING IT TO THE NEXT
LEVEL, AND USING SOCIAL MEDIA
TO CATCH THESE THIEVES.
I HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE
NOT GOING TO COME BACK NOW
BECAUSE OF THE MONEY THEY LOST
FOR THAT DAY.
I DON'T BLAME THEM.
Reporter: HE'S TALKING ABOUT
THE FARM WORKERS HE MANAGES.
SEVEN OF THE EMPLOYEES' TRUCKS
WERE BROKEN INTO.
CELL PHONES WERE STOLEN,
SIMPLE THING AS LUNCH PAILS,
CLOTHING.
ONE EMPLOYEE HAD HIS RENT IN
THERE.
SO HE SAID HE HAD $650 STOLEN.
Reporter: CORTEZ SAYS THE
SAME THING HAPPENED LAST YEAR.
WHILE THEY WERE TIEING VINES,
THE SUSPECTS PULLED UP.
Reporter: NOW HELPING
INVESTIGATORS NAB THIEVES.
THE MAN SUSPECTED OF
BURGLARIZING VEHICLES IN THE
AREA.
LOCALS POSTED THESE PICTURES TO
A FACEBOOK CRIME PREVENTION
PAGE.
SURE ENOUGH, TWO DAYS LATER,
DEPUTIES ARRESTED ROBERT AND
CHARGED HIM WITH AUTO THEFT AND
TEN COUNTS OF BURGLARY.
HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AFTER
DRIVING A STOLEN TRUCK.
NOW WE HAVE HIGH-TECH.
THERE'S VIDEO CAMERAS, AND
FACEBOOK.
Reporter: DEPUTIES SAY
THEY'RE STILL LOOKING INTO
WHETHER HE WAS THE THIEF WHO
BROKE INTO THE SEVEN VEHICLES
ON STOKES' FARM.
MARCEL SAYS THESE WOULD LIKELY
GO UNSOLVED, BUT NOW MORE
PEOPLE HAVE CAMERAS AND THEY'RE
WATCHING.
I THINK THE ONLY REASON WE
CAUGHT HIM IS BECAUSE OF
FACEBOOK.
FARMERS NEED TO MAKE SURE
THEIR EQUIPMENT IS LOCKED DOWN.