Crime & Safety
Pleasant Hill Home Invasion & Car Theft Suspect Arrested in Antioch
The 40-year-old suspect is jailed with $4.4 million bail in Martinez , police said.
A man suspected of holding two women hostage inside their Pleasant Hill home while he robbed them at gunpoint on Sunday and made off with their car was arrested in Antioch today.
Police arrested David Allen Vancil, 40, of Antioch today in connection with the home invasion robbery after Antioch police officers got a tip that he may have some of the items stolen from the home, according to Pleasant Hill police.
The robbery happened around 9:45 p.m. Sunday when Vancil forced his way inside a house in the 9000 block of Santa Lucia Drive after a 53-year-old woman opened the front door.
Brandishing a handgun, the suspect forced that resident and a second woman, age 84, into a bedroom and locked them inside, according to police. Neither suffered any injuries during the robbery.
The suspect then stole jewelry and electronics from inside the home and drove off in a Volkswagen Passat belonging to one of the residents, police said. Today, Antioch police officers spotted Vancil riding in a car near Auto Center Drive.
Police said the officers stopped the car, found items stolen from the Pleasant Hill robbery inside and identified Vancil as the suspect.
Both he and the driver of the car were arrested and taken to the Pleasant Hill Police Department.
Vancil was booked into county jail in Martinez on suspicion of robbery, kidnapping for robbery, false imprisonment, elder abuse, auto theft, burglary and several enhancements, according to police.
He is being held in lieu of $4.4 million bail, according to police.
Link to police-artist sketch:
www.baycitynews.com/images/PHsketch3.31.14.pdf
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