Man Loses $600 in Fake Brewers Tickets Sales

In a private transaction, it's always best to let go of the cash with one hand only while taking hold of the goods with the other.

At 12:39 a.m. March 26, a man called police to say he had been “hustled” out of $600 for Milwaukee Brewers Opening Day tickets. He said he and friends had met “this guy” at Bravo restaurant at the Brookfield Sheraton Hotel, 375 S. Moorland Rd., who said he had great seats for sale.

They took him up on it, the victim said, and he collected and handed over the cash in the elevator lobby — at which point the salesman told him the tickets were in his room. He got on an elevator with their money and did not return.

The police report did not say how long the victim waited before the light dawned — or what he told his friends about their great seats for the home opener.

In other incidents:

March 21

The owner of Water 2 Wine, 17135 Blue Mound Rd., was issued a warning when an officer performing a tavern check learned that none of the employees holds a municipal bartender’s license. The owner said he didn’t know they needed such licenses as they all hold server’s certificates. He was informed of the difference and the permit requirement for anyone serving alcohol in Brookfield.

The manager of Jake’s Restaurant, 21445 Gumina Rd., was served with a notice of municipal permit violation when a tavern check revealed that none of its employees serving alcohol had bartender licenses. The only employee who did hold one was serving food, while no one at the bar was licensed.

March 22

After police received an anonymous tip that an 18-year-old Brookfield man was planning a drug deal, he was arrested on three outstanding warrants. Upon receiving the tip, police immediately recognized the subject as someone they were “very familiar” with. While no evidence of drugs or a drug deal was found, the young man was taken into custody, signed bonds for two Town of Brookfield warrants, then was sent to the Waukesha County Jail to be held on a Burnett County warrant.

At 5:36 p.m., a woman employed at REI, 13100 W. Capitol Dr., reported that her Honda Element had been broken into in the parking lot. Her tailgate window had been smashed. She was missing her backpack and contents including a laptop, prescription medications and gift cards.

At 5:49 p.m., a 14-year-old Milwaukee boy was cited for theft from Kohl’s Department Store, 2315 N. 124th St., after he was seen hiding a number of sets of earrings in his pockets. He was stopped and found to have four pairs of earrings and a belt, together worth $100 retail.

At 6:28 p.m., a 36-year-old West Bend woman was arrested for theft from Boston Store at Brookfield Square after she was seen stuffing a bag with boys athletic shorts and shirts as well as one men’s shirt, together priced at $108.34. She was referred for state charges due to her number of prior arrests.

March 23

At 2:55 a.m., officers checking out a report from a resident of the 2900 block of Nassau Drive that he’d heard three possible gunshots in the area themselves heard “approximately 20 rounds of reflexive fire from a rifle.” After “searching and searching a wooded, swampy area,” they were unable to locate anyone responsible or any damage done.

At 4:42 p.m., police were called to JC Penney at Brookfield Square on a suspicion that two separate large retail thefts were being planned by two groups of women. One group of three older women was recognized as a ring of known, repeat shoplifters who were looking over Packers merchandise. The other group, of four younger women or girls, had a lot of items in carts and took them into men’s dressing rooms. Two were detained just outside, while the other two fled and could not be found. Arrested were two Milwaukee girls, one 15 and one 17 years old. The younger girl had $315 worth of merchandise, the other $282 worth, all jeans and tops.

March 25

At 12:27 p.m., two 18-year-old men were arrested for theft from the Buckle store at Brookfield Square after a grab and run attempt. They both picked up piles of jeans and bolted. Employees tried to stop them, and one threw his armload of goods at a loss prevention officer but was stopped and held. The other escaped into the mall but was tracked down.

At 2:15 p.m., a 22-year-old Milwaukee woman was arrested for employee theft from New York and Co. at Brookfield Square after the manager got an anonymous tip that she was taking merchandise. Questioned, she admitted she took several pairs of earrings. Police found the young woman being detained in the break room, hysterically upset, crying, and “possibly suicidal,” saying she had no reason to live and “I want to die.”

March 27

At 9:42 a.m., police were called to Redwood Acoustics Guitar Shop at 2835 N. Brookfield Rd. on a burglary report. The caller had found the front window broken out, but it did not appear that anyone had entered, and nothing was reported taken.