On January 27, 2026, at approximately 1:45 PM, officers of the Lakeville Police Department were dispatched to a report of a theft in progress at a hardware store in the City of Lakeville, Dakota County, Minnesota. The reporting party, a store employee (“Witness” hereinafter), reported that an adult male had stolen a power tool from the store. Witness reported that the suspect left in a dark colored SUV, which was occupied by a male driver and female passenger. Witness reported that the vehicle exited the store parking lot via the east exit.
While on route to check the area, an officer observed a black SUV traveling in the opposite direction pass his patrol squad. The officer observed that the driver of the SUV was a male, and that there was a female passenger in the front seat. The officer conducted a U-Turn and began to follow the vehicle, which began to rapidly increase its speeds. The officer activated the squad’s lights and sirens and attempted to catch up to the vehicle. Once it became clear to the officer that the vehicle was fleeing, he discontinued the pursuit.
Additional investigation revealed the license plate of the vehicle, which officers discovered had ties to DANIEL JAMES MOORE ([DOB redacted]). Specifically, Moore was identified in an Apple Valley police report as involved in a prior incident involving the vehicle. The officer who observed the fleeing SUV reviewed still shot photos from the hardware store and compared it with his visual of the SUV’s driver as it passed and with other recent photos of Moore. A review of these photos confirmed the driver was Moore.
Officers also spoke with Moore’s parole agent, who looked at the still shot photos from the alleged theft at the hardware store. The parole agent confirmed that the suspect in the photos was Moore. He also reported that he observed the same black SUV at his last home visit with Moore in early January 2026. Officers reviewed Moore's driving status and determined that he had a status of cancelled as inimical to public safety.
