A daytime robbery outside a Brentwood home on Wednesday spiraled into a multi-city chase, ending with Antioch officers arresting a 22-year-old suspect and recovering the victim’s belongings, according to police.
Benicia officers say a woman was robbed of her purse and phone right as she approached her front door. The suspects allegedly took off in a vehicle wearing stolen license plates, setting off a search that eventually drew in Antioch police. Officers in Antioch later found the car in a neighborhood off Peppertree Way, detained one suspect and, once the vehicle was towed, reported that the victim’s property was recovered from inside.
In a statement republished by Antioch Herald, the Benicia Police Department identified the arrested man as Nathaniel Leon Yancey III, 22, of Antioch. The department said officers took Yancey into custody at about 2:09 p.m. after the vehicle was stopped in Antioch. The case is listed as No. 26-00236, and Yancey faces multiple counts, including felony robbery, felony causing injury to an elder or dependent adult, conspiracy, violating civil rights by force or threat, receiving known stolen property and petty theft.
Detectives say they are still following leads to track down the other people involved.
Charges and custody
Solano County custody records show Yancey was booked into the Justice Center Detention Facility in Fairfield and is being held on bail of $101,667, according to Solano County. A court appearance is scheduled for today in Solano County Superior Court in Fairfield.
Authorities also note that Yancey was previously arrested in September 2025 on suspicion of evading a peace officer, a case that county officials say may factor into his current custody status.
How police tracked the vehicle
According to Benicia police, investigators used an automated license-plate reader system, known as Flock, to connect the getaway car to the Brentwood robbery and electronically track its path into Antioch. The technology has become a go-to tool for Bay Area law enforcement agencies to quickly identify vehicles tied to crimes, although its rapid spread has also stirred privacy debates and prompted legal challenges, as reported by NBC Bay Area.
Benicia detectives say they are still looking for two additional suspects and are urging anyone with information to contact the department, according to the police statement republished by Antioch Herald. Antioch Police assisted at the scene, and the vehicle was towed back to Benicia for evidence processing. No further details about the remaining suspects have been released.
