Facebook post leads police to suspect in wallet theft

Niagara police say social media played a key role in the arrest of a 26-year-old woman after surveillance video was posted online.

Tyson McCool had his wallet stolen while he was working at a Petro-Canada gas station in St. Catharines.

The 19-year-old told CHCH News he looked at surveillance video from inside the store and saw what appeared to show a woman swipe the wallet off the counter when he turned his back for a moment. McCool posted the video online with the hope someone would recognize her.

The video has been viewed over 200,000 times and shared by more than 4000 people. “It has been crazy. People have been messaging me from all over from Kitchener to London, letting me know who she is,” said McCool.

One share appeared on a Niagara police detective`s personal Facebook page. The detective began to read the comments, found a few possible names and was able to identify the suspect.

Police say twenty-six-year-old Jena Dakiv, of no fixed address, has been arrested and charged. She is scheduled to appear in bail court for theft related charges and breach of probation.