Burglary suspects captured on cell phone camera, caught by police

Some quick-thinking witnesses, who saw a lawnmower being stolen, captured this image on a cell phone. The image was taken to the Newbern Police Department, which sent it to Dyersburg police and the Dyer County Sheriff's Department. The suspects were captured a short time later. [Click to enlarge]

The suspects, Ralph Wayne Gordon, 48, 138 Tennyson Ave., Dyersburg and Donny Wayne Lee, 33, 213 Poplar St., Finley, were seen loading a lawnmower into the trunk of a car.

Two nearby witnesses thought the scenario looked strange, so they took some pictures of the car with their cell phone. They thought there was a possibility the suspicious-looking men may have asked to borrow the mower, but weren't sure so they snapped the pictures.

The same afternoon, the victim reported the mower stolen and the witnesses went to the Newbern Police Department with their cell phone images. Everett forwarded the picture to the Dyersburg Police Department and the Dyer County Sheriff's Office. A short time later, Dyer County deputies stopped a car in Finley that matched the picture.

The driver was advised that her car matched the description of the one involved in the theft in Newbern. She told deputies she had loaned her car to Lee and Gordon on the day in question.

Ironically, while the female driver was talking to deputies, Dyersburg police had stopped Lee during a traffic stop in Dyersburg.

Everett arrived on the scene to question Lee, who admitted his involvement and named Gordon as an accomplice.

Both were arrested and charged with theft under $500. They appeared in Newbern City Court with disposition still pending. The mower was recovered and returned to the rightful owner and Dyer County Crime Stoppers paid a reward to the witnesses for their assistance in helping locate the suspects.