Crime & Safety
Two Charged In Thefts from Church, Elected Official's Wallet
Suspects stole credit cards and other items from the coats of parishioners at Brookfield Christian Reformed Church, including the wallet of state Rep. Dale Kooyenga, charges allege.
Two men are facing charges alleging they stole items at a Brookfield church, including credit cards of a state lawmaker.
Aaron J. Glad, 30, of Cedarburg, and Martin M. Malchow, 37, were charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court Monday with 11 combined counts for stealing items while visiting in March 2011.
According to the criminal complaint:
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On March 11, 2011, Brookfield police were called to the church after several parishioners reported items stolen from their coats, wallets and purses. The victims included state Rep. Dale Koonyenga (R-Brookfield)
During the course of the investigation, police found out parishioners had come from the Milwaukee Rescue Mission on the date of the crime, including Glad and Malchow, who were dropped off at North 27th Street and West Wisconsin Avenue after the service instead of going back to the mission.
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Police found numerous charges had been made with the stolen credit cards at Milwaukee businesses, and police were able to find surveillance footage of many of the transactions, which showed Glad and Malchow making the purchases.
Koonyenga had $1,428 fraudulently charged to his cards while another victim had $4,673 in unauthorized transactions.
Police interviewed the two men on March 16, 2011, and Glad denied the purchases despite the fact Koonyenga’s driver’s license was found on him at the time along with gift cards. Malchow said he was with Glad when the purchases were made, but denied making any of them himself.
Arrest warrants were issued for both men.
