MENDOCINO CO., 12/23/25 – Four men were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of burglarizing four businesses in Mendocino and Lake counties, including stealing lottery tickets, authorities said.
Around 3 a.m. Tuesday, deputies responded to a report of a burglary at Forks Ranch Market in unincorporated Ukiah.
According to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, four men allegedly broke into the market and stole money, lottery tickets and other items.
While deputies were investigating the scene, the Sheriff’s Office was notified that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office was also investigating two burglaries involving commercial businesses.
Upper Lake Grocery in Upper Lake later reported on social media that it was among the businesses burglarized, and that cigarettes were among the stolen items.
During their investigation, Lake County deputies detained four men connected to a suspected vehicle located in Clearlake Oaks. Inside the vehicle, deputies allegedly found items reported stolen from three of the burglaries.
Deputies returned nearly all of the stolen items to Forks Ranch Market, the Sheriff’s Office said. According to the market, stolen items included scratch-off lottery tickets, stamps and money.
Authorities said the vehicle and additional stolen property also matched evidence from another commercial burglary in Ukiah that is being investigated by the Ukiah Police Department.
Simeon Reed, 23, of Kelseyville, and three Sacramento men — Daniel Goodwin, 24; Tobias Menefee, 26; and Demare Burgess, 30 — were arrested and booked into Lake County Jail on suspicion of felony second-degree burglary, conspiracy to commit a crime, and working together to steal property during a felony.
In response to the robberies, Upper Lake Grocery responded on social media, “Thank goodness they didn’t take the prime ribs!”