Mariposa burglar caught because he watched Netflix, authorities say

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Deputies said they were able to use Netflix and IP addresses to catch a suspect in a home burglary case.

On March 4th, a woman reported that someone had broken into her house and stole several items, including a 65" smart TV, a Blu-Ray player, a laptop, and a surround sound system.

A few days later, the victim told investigators that movies had been viewed on her Netflix account that were not watched by anyone in her home. She said both her smart TV and her Blu-Ray player were linked to her Netflix account. She was able to contact Netflix get the IP address used to watch the movies in question.

Investigators were able to locate the home with the Wi-Fi router that used that IP address. However, when they searched the home, they did not find any of the stolen items. During the an interview, the resident told investigators that neighbors regularly used their Wi-Fi connection.

Police were then able to then get a search warrant for the home of 20-year-old Bobby Alexander at the Mariposa Terrace Apartments, where they found the stolen property. Alexander was not home at the time his apartment was searched, but he turned himself in to the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office a few hours later.

Alexander is now facing burglary charges and is being held on $75,000 bail. His neighbors also want him evicted. "When I found out he lives here, it's just a little bit nerve racking because we are safe here and we all know each other," said Deedee Little, Mariposa.