Category Archives: Crime

SMPD Warns Of Door-To-Door Scam

Here is the information from the South Milwaukee Police Department …

I received an email from a South Milwaukee citizen this evening reporting a possible door-to-door solicitation scam.  This particular one revolved around the Milwaukee Restoration Church and a male using the name “Eugene Hankins.”  The Milwaukee Restoration Church is an actual organization that solicits door-to-door for legitimate reasons, Hankins is no longer affiliated with the church and does not fund raise for them.  If you feel something is not right about a solicitor, the best thing to do is politely decline.  You can also call the SMPD (or your local jurisdiction) and report the incident.  As always, when reporting an incident be sure to report in a timely manner and include a description of the person and the behavior that you found to be suspicious.  

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Police Blotter: Burglary At South Milwaukee Little League Complex

NOW has published a new police blotter, and it includes this disturbing item …

A safe, several microphones and an extension cord were taken from inside of the South Milwaukee Little League office building, 701 Mackinac Ave., during the night of Aug. 8 or morning of Aug. 9. According to security footage, three men gained entry to the building with a key. The stolen items were collectively worth $615. An 18-year-old Cudahy man was arrested for the incident. During a search of that man’s house, police also found marijuana plants, and he was additionally arrested for manufacturing THC and bail jumping.

And this item …

A 51-year-old South Milwaukee man was arrested for disorderly conduct at 2 p.m. Aug. 10, after he pulled a knife on another man at the bar Powers on 10th, 1815 10th Ave., and stuck the knife in a wooden barrel near him. The man was found on the same block with a folding knife and admitted being at the bar, but denied brandishing the knife. He was also cited for possession of drug paraphernalia after police found a marijuana pipe on him.

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South Shore Crime Update

Update: The South Milwaukee man accused of making the threats in Cudahy is identified in this story.

Rounding up some crime items from around the South Shore …

First, this item from NOW about a South Milwaukee man allegedly threatening Sikh shooting-type violence to police officers.

And NOW has published a new police blotter, including this …

About $500 worth of ice cream was stolen from a delivery truck while it was parked in the 3400 block of South Chicago Avenue between Aug. 7 and 1 p.m. Aug 9.

And this …

A 36-year-old South Milwaukee man was arrested for resisting an officer, possession of a controlled substance and possession with the intent to deliver in the 1200 block of Milwaukee Avenue about 6 p.m. Aug. 9. The man threw away two bottles of prescription pain pills, tried to run multiple times while police were taking him into custody, and was shocked with a stun gun during one escape attempt. In addition, he was arrested on a Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department warrant.

And this …

A row of bushes caught fire in front of Rawson School, 1410 Rawson Ave., about 10 a.m. Aug. 5. The fire caused a lot of smoke but was out before the South Milwaukee Fire Department arrived. The school was not damaged.

Also, County Supervisor Pat Jursik sent this to her constituents on Thursday …

I have two alerts I want to make you aware of: first, St. Francis Police Chief Brian Kaebisch has asked citizens to be aware of car break-ins along Lake Drive. The Police Department asks when you park along Lake Drive in St. Francis not to have any items left in your car that are visible such as a purse, cell phone, laptop, etc. I think it is a good rule for any car parked in public areas.

In addition, there is an alert from the Milwaukee Police Department regarding Bay View. Several women have been assaulted over the last several months in Bay View. The most recent assault happened last week. The Milwaukee Police Department is working to apprehend anyone who is responsible for the assaults.

And, in Oak Creek, there was this scary road rage incident and a couple car thefts.

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Filed under Crime, Cudahy, Oak Creek, South Milwaukee

NOW: South Milwaukee Man — Abraham Lincoln? — Arrested For Drunk Driving Outside City Hall

A disturbing story from NOW

A 60-year-old South Milwaukee man, who later told hospital staff he was Abraham Lincoln, was arrested for drunken driving, first offense, after police found him in his minivan parked in the front lawn of South Milwaukee City Hall, 2424 15th Ave., passed out with the engine running and music blaring, around 2 a.m. Friday.

And here is the rest of this week’s police blotter, including this …

A 26-year-old Franklin man was threatened at knifepoint by two men outside of Johnny Mo’s Bar & Grill, 1301 Milwaukee Ave., around 1:30 a.m. July 28. The two men thought that the victim and two other Oak Creek men outside the bar were staring at them, confronted the group and demanded an apology. One of the aggressors pulled out a knife and the primary victim kicked and pushed at the men until one of the other victims called police and the aggressors fled in a gold sedan.

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Reports: Packard Avenue Reopens After Shooting, Standoff

Check out the stories from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WISN, Fox 6 and TMJ 4. From the Journal Sentinel …

Cudahy police have a suspect in custody and are searching for a second suspect Thursday morning after a shooting overnight in the 5700 block of S. Packard Ave.

Although police are still investigating, the area of S. Packard Ave. between S. Whitall Ave. and E. Ramsey Ave. reopened about 7:45 a.m. Thursday after it was blocked off late Wednesday.

One person was injured in the shooting, which occurred about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. The suspect in custody is not necessarily the shooter, police told reporters during a morning briefing.

Cudahy police and the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office are systematically searching two 32-unit apartment buildings on S. Packard Ave., looking for witnesses and the second suspect.

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Busy Week For Police

NOW has published a new police blotter, and it’s not pretty for South Milwaukee this week. Some of the items …

  • Reports of two car thefts and three bicycle thefts;
  • Five reports of eggings; and
  • A number of incidents at Grant Park.

There was also this …

A 48-year-old South Milwaukee man was arrested for battery and disorderly conduct ay Muskie’s Gourmet House, 800 Milwaukee Ave., around 11 p.m. July 19 after he tackled and punched a 45-year-old South Milwaukee man. The two men had been arguing throughout the evening and had seemed to have resolved the dispute, when the victim put his arm around the offender, who then began the attack. The aggressor had a bloody nose, but the victim reported no serious injuries.

And this …

A can of gasoline started on fire in the yard in the 1300 block of Michigan Avenue around 1:30 a.m. July 18 after a man was working on a car and threw a lit cigarette in the yard near the can. The man fled the scene when the fire started, and a 16-year-old girl, whose stepmother owns the house was able to kick the can into the road and put it out with a fire extinguisher. The car was found to have been stolen from Milwaukee. The owner collected the car, but found tools, a CD visor with two CDs, a set of golf clubs and a cooler bag in the car that did not belong to him. These items were taken to the South Milwaukee police station.

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South Milwaukee Police Department Files Annual Report

Like the fire department report, the South Milwaukee Police Department’s 2012 annual report is full of in-depth information on the work the department does to keep our community safe.

See it here. Some good news/bad news on crime figures:

  • Property crime reports were down to their lowest levels in at least five years, with 450 reports in 2012, compared with 513 in 2011 and 595 in 2010.
  • Clearance rates were also at their highest levels in at least five years, at 39.6%.
  • Of biggest concern, violent crime increased to its highest level in at least five years, with 40 incidents reported, compared with 16 in both 2011 and 2010. An increase in aggravated assault drove most of the increase.

Of course, the report has much more information than this, including shift highlights and details on the 2011 department awards.

Thanks again to all of our police officers for their efforts. They are never forgotten.

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Shooting In Cudahy

Flight for Life was reportedly called to the scene of the shooting Wednesday evening at a home near Packard and Ramsey Avenues in Cudahy. A man is in custody.

Learn more from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel or WISN.

I’ll keep you posted.

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Cudahy Teen Charged In Robbery Of South Milwaukee’s King’s Row Liquor

A 17-year-old Cudahy boy has been charged in the alleged May armed robbery of King’s Row Liquor in South Milwaukee.

Nathan Warrix faces one count of armed robbery and has his preliminary hearing set for July 17 in Milwaukee County Circuit Court. He is subject to electronic monitoring until then, court records show.

Here are the case details.

Warrix also has several other oustanding charges, including another felony charge for drug possession and several misdemeanor charges for retail theft, online court records show. I’ll keep you posted … and congratulations to the South Milwaukee Police Department on the arrest.

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Filed under Courts, Crime, Local Business, Police

Former Local Priests Named In Archdiocesan Files

The thousands of pages of documents released Monday by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee about alleged priest sex abuse names names — including six former priests once assigned to South Milwaukee parishes.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the following men were “diocesan priests removed or restricted from ministry because of substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of at least one minor.” In parentheses are the names of the parishes in South Milwaukee where these former priests were assigned at one point, again according to the newspaper.

  • Raymond Adamsky (St. John’s)
  • Franklyn Becker (St. John’s)
  • Ronald Engle (St. Mary’s)
  • George Hopf (St. Mary’s)
  • Vincent Silvestri (St. Sylvester’s)
  • Thomas Trepanier (St. Sylvester’s)

You can link to the case files for each individual on the Journal Sentinel website.

Please keep all the victims of these horrific crimes (whether their perpetrators were convicted or not) in your thoughts and prayers.

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Wanted For Questioning

HR1HR2Update: An reward of up to $2,000 is being offered in the case.

South Milwaukee police want to talk to two “persons of interest” following the June 16 hit-and-run motorcycle crash in South Milwaukee that injured two.

Here is the release …

On Sunday June 16, 2013 at about 4:45pm the City of South Milwaukee Police Department responded to a hit and run crash at the intersection of 15th Avenue at Drexel Blvd. in the City of South Milwaukee.  The suspect vehicle, which was described by witnesses as a maroon in color early to mid 2000s GMC Yukon, struck a motorcycle and then fled from the scene.  The operator of the motorcycle remains hospitalized.  The striking vehicle should have passenger side damage, a tinted window missing, and was reportedly occupied by two persons described as black males. 

Attached are still photos of surveillance camera footage from a gas station a few blocks from the crash scene.  The images are of a maroon Yukon and the two males that had occupied it when it came into and then left the gas station minutes before the above reported crash.  The City of South Milwaukee Police Department would like assistance in identifying the men and vehicle in these images so that they can be located, the persons interviewed and the vehicle examined.  Probable cause does not exist to arrest these subjects or charge them with any crime.    

Persons with information on the pictured subjects and vehicle or any other information regarding this incident are encouraged to contact the South Milwaukee Police Department at (414) 768-8060.  Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call the Southern Milwaukee County Crime Stoppers at (866) 373-6227.  Persons providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for this hit and run could get cash reward up to $1000.00 from Crime Stoppers and the family of the victim have offered a cash reward currently at $1000.00.  Callers should refer to South Milwaukee Police Department case #13-013687. 

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More Details Emerge On Sikh Temple Shooter … And His South Milwaukee Connection

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has the story, which quotes FBI documents as saying Wade Michael Page lived for a time in South Milwaukee. From it:

According to the FBI search warrant, Page was in a relationship with Misty Cook from April 2011 to June 2012. The document does not say how they met, but at first it was a long-distance relationship. Page, 40, and Cook, 32, traveled back and forth between Wisconsin and North Carolina from April to October 2011 to visit each other, it says.

During Cook’s trip to visit Page in May 2011, the couple visited a shooting range and Cook fired Page’s 9mm handgun, according to the warrant.

Cook cannot legally handle a firearm because of a previous conviction. After the Oak Creek shooting, police searched her South Milwaukee apartment and found a gun. No charges have been filed in state or federal court. State and federal prosecutors did not return calls for comment Monday on Cook.

Cook and Page were active participants in an online message forum for a white supremacist group and joined in dozens of the same conversations – including some well before the time that Page is thought to have moved to this area, according to research by the Anti-Defamation League and the Journal Sentinel.

The Journal Sentinel reviewed posts under the names “End Apathy” and “Luluroman” on a message board for a white supremacy group known as the “Hammerskins.” According to the league, Page frequently posted under the name End Apathy – the name of his skinhead band – and Cook used the Luluroman handle.

In October 2011, Page used the forum to promote his band. That same month, Page moved from North Carolina to live with Cook in South Milwaukee. Page was an alcoholic skinhead, Cook later told the FBI.

In January 2012, Page encouraged Cook to join “Crew 38,” a Chicago-based white power group. Toward the end of their relationship, Page became increasingly interested in conspiracy theories and videos online, according to the newly unsealed documents. The warrant does not detail what Page was looking at on the web, but it said Cook was disturbed by it.

The warrant also says Page was active on social media, having at least two Facebook pages, under the names “Wade Hammer” and “Jackboot.” …

Page and Cook split in June 2012, and he moved into an apartment in Cudahy.

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South Milwaukee Liquor Store Robbed

South Milwaukee police say there was an armed robbery Sunday night at the King’s Row liquor store at 1202 Milwaukee Ave.

Here is the press release …

Please be advised that the SMPD responded to an armed robbery which had occurred at about 8:30pm on May 5, 2013 at King’s Row Liquor in the 1200blk of Milwaukee Avenue.  A lone, masked gunman entered the store armed with a handgun demanding cash. No persons were injured during the robbery. The case remains under investigation.

Check out coverage from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Fox 6 and CBS 58.

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Caterpillar Security Guard/Crime Solver To Be Honored

A security guard at the South Milwaukee Caterpillar plant is getting his due for helping solve an armed robbery in last fall — an honor from the Oak Creek Police Department.

Check out the Oak Creek Patch story here.

And congratulations to Josh Najda!

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Alert: “Spoofing” Scammer Posing As South Milwaukee Police Demands Money

Just got this from South Milwaukee Police … scary stuff.

South Milwaukee Police have received a report from an elderly citizen that they had received several phone calls from a company trying to solicit money.  The caller identified them self as being from the “Martinez Law Firm” in Lawrence Kansas with a phone number of 785-371-3081.   The caller told the citizen if she did not pay $250.00 by 2pm today that an arrest warrant would be issued for her. 

A short time later she received another call from a person giving the name of an officer who works for the South Milwaukee Police Department.  The caller ID also showed that the call had originated from the South Milwaukee Police Department.  The caller at this time threatened to arrest her on the warrant if she did not pay by 2pm.    The citizen then came to the police department to find out what was happening.

Investigation revealed that this is a scam that has been running and that the suspect caller had “spoofed” the number to make it appear that the call had come from the South Milwaukee Police Department.  The first call was also determined to not have come from a law firm in Kansas.   The call actually was found to have originated  somewhere in Pakistan.   The caller confessed to running a scam to try to get money from people by saying they were the police. 

Due to the international nature of this incident, enforcement actions will be  difficult.  The best protection is for citizens to be aware of this scam and report these issues to their local police.

Citizens should know that the South Milwaukee Police Department will not call people on the phone regarding these types of issues.

If you receive a phone call of this nature, please contact your local police department. 

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