Naples, Florida



From the Naples Daily News of December 18, 2003

Police: Man caught in the act of robbery



One man held a gun.



The other man held a cigarette.



And this time, it was the smoker who was arrested.



Daniel Albert Neja, 22, of 571 Third Ave. N., Naples, faces burglary and grand theft charges in connection with a home burglary in Golden Gate on Tuesday afternoon, authorities say.



His captor, Michael Furlani, foiled the burglary at his home and held Neja for Collier County sheriff's deputies.



Deputies' reports give this account:



At 2:49 p.m., deputies were called to a burglary in the 3500 block of 27th Avenue Southwest.



Furlani had come home from work to find Neja leaving his garage, the automatic garage door closing behind him.



Furlani said he didn't recognize the man or the cream-colored Infiniti in the driveway. It was parked close to the house, so it couldn't easily be seen from the road.



Furlani called the Sheriff's Office and held Neja at gunpoint.



When deputies arrived, Furlani was in the driveway, pointing a gun at Neja, who was smoking a cigarette. Furlani put his gun down when the deputies arrived.



Deputies then arrested Neja and took him to a patrol car. On the way, he admitted to stealing a DVD player and a television.



Furlani told deputies that Neja pleaded with him, saying he was sorry and that he didn't want to go to jail. He said Neja first said he was a friend of the family, but he couldn't provide any names. Furlani said Neja was acting irrationally and at one point reached into his car to get a cigarette while they waited.



Deputies found a television and DVD player covered with a sweatshirt in the back of Neja's car. A drill and the garage door opener also had been stolen. The stolen items were valued at $470, deputies say.



Deputies say Neja broke in through a rear bedroom window.



The reason for the break-in, according to Neja: He had a drug problem and had just moved from Virginia to live with his father.