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East County News Service
November 28, 2025 (El Cajon) – Officers from El Cajon Police Department responded to reports of a home burglary in progress, with the family inside on November 23 around 9:14 a.m. Whey they arrived, officers learned that two suspects—a woman who fled on foot and a man who stole the victims’ SUV—had already left the scene.
Officers were able to obtain video footage of the suspects leaving the victims’ residence. The female suspect was found and arrested a short distance away. She was identified as 63-year-old Sara Stewart of El Cajon.
As responding officers gathered initial information, police dispatchers immediately used automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology to find the stolen vehicle moving through the city. Real-time ALPR data enabled dispatchers to quickly identify the vehicle’s direction of travel and notify surrounding agencies.
A short time later, the suspect and vehicle were located in Chula Vista by the Chula Vista Police. El Cajon Police Officers responded to the scene and arrested 41-year-old James Dattolico of El Cajon. The vehicle was recovered and returned to the owner.
“This invasive crime in progress was solved with two arrests in about three hours, highlighting the significant value of ALPR technology as a modern tool for fighting crime,” says Lieutenant Brandon Stanley. “The coordinated use of the ALPR system by ECPD dispatchers was crucial in ensuring a quick and safe resolution to this case. We would like to thank our partners at the Chula Vista Police Department for their assistance.”
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