If It Sounds Too Good to Be True, It's Probably Going to Cost You

Two women, one from Wauwatosa and one from Milwaukee, went to the police station Tuesday to report that they had been duped into a fraudulent check-cashing scheme.

They explained to police that an acquaintance had asked them to cash some checks for her and her companion, that they would be given a share of the money, and it was all “legal” and “legit.”

Despite some misgivings, they did so, on three occasions, at their own banks, cashing checks for $3,000, $4,000 and $6,000, turning over the money to their acquaintances, and receiving about 10 percent in return.

Later, they were notified by their banks that the checks hadn’t cleared and that their own accounts had been debited $4,000 and $9,000 respectively.

Police are seeking a known suspect, the male subject, who has a lengthy record of forgery, fraud and misappropriation and is currently on parole and wanted as a fugitive.

In other incidents:

Wednesday

At 1 p.m., a resident of the 1400 block of North 120^th Street reported finding a wallet in her garbage cart, and it proved to have been stolen from an unlocked car in the driveway of a home a block away on North 121^st Street.

Tuesday

At 7:43 p.m., an 18-year-old Milwaukee woman was arrested for theft from her employer, Family Christian Stores, 2525 N. Mayfair Rd., after it was discovered that she had conducted 22 fraudulent return transactions totaling $1,257.32. An internal investigation showed that the suspect, when making a cash sale, would later reprint the receipt and scan the barcode as a return. Then she simply pocketed the cash out of the drawer, believing her tracks were covered. For two months, from Feb. 12 to April 17, she got away with it before loss prevention audits uncovered the scheme. She was given a May 14 court date.

At 3:16 p.m., a 34-year-old Milwaukee woman was arrested for passing a forged payroll check at Chase Bank, 7430 W. State St., from Transitional Living Services in West Allis, which had never employed the woman. A detective investigating a number of check forgery cases involving the same subject, at the time unknown, was at the bank when the suspect entered and tried to pass a bad check right in front of him. When he put her under arrest, with one hand cuffed, she bolted, shouting, “I’m not going to jail,” and ran out the back door. The detective, however caught her again just outside. She unreeled a long and involved string of check frauds that she and a ring of forgers had been carrying out, which police continue to investigate.

A West Allis woman reported that a tire on her car had been slashed in a lot at 10000 Innovation Dr. between 6 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. while she was at work at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She said she had replaced seven damaged tires since November and suspected a former MCW employee who had been fired.

At 1:27 p.m., a 40-year-old Milwaukee man was arrested for theft from Walgreens, 2656 Wauwatosa Ave., after he was seen stealing a bottle of vodka and ran from the store manager. He was spotted in the 2300 block of Wauwatosa and taken into custody.

The manager of Nu Art Dental Lab, 353 N. 121^st St., reported that tires on two cars had been punctured while they were parked there over the weekend.

At 2:34 a.m., a resident of the 6400 block of Wisconsin Avenue called police to report that her son was sleeping on her front porch and that he was wanted by the police. Officers arrived and arrested the 25-year-old on a felony warrant for dangerous drugs and a municipal warrant for larceny. He was taken to the County Jail.

Monday

At 7:50 p.m., a Wauwatosa patrol officer noticed an SUV with a shattered window in the parking lot at Mayfair Mall, and after the owner was found, she said she’d stopped in at about 5:20 p.m. and was missing three bags of newly purchased clothing from Burlington Coat Factory.

A 16-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man, both from Milwaukee, were arrested for criminal damage to property after they were seen dropping rocks on a car at Mayfair Mall. Police were called on a report of suspicious behavior, and officers spotted the two at the top of the 20-foot retaining wall between the upper and lower Macy’s parking lots on the east side of the mall. The two youths said they were engaged in a game of trying to toss rocks into a garbage container below. Officers peered over the wall and saw a car with multiple dents in the hood and roof, the windshield broken, and a rock sitting on the trunk lid. The two were arrested, and interviewed separately, each admitted they were rocking the car. Asked why, one of the boys said he was bored.

Saturday

A resident of the 9900 block of West North Avenue reported that some time overnight someone stole his son’s skateboard off his porch.

At 2:47 p.m., a 17-year-old Milwaukee girl was arrested for theft from Target, 3900 N. 124^th St., after she bagged up 24 items and tried to leave the store without paying. She had also been arrested in November for theft at Macy’s in Mayfair Mall and was listed as a missing juvenile. Her father was contacted and he authorized her release on $366 bail.

Friday

At 6:54 p.m., a 44-year-old Milwaukee man was arrested for theft from Walmart Market, 3850 N. 124^th St., after he was recognized as a known thief and was stopped in the parking lot. The man had abandoned a shopping cart loaded with laundry detergent in the store when he realized he was under watch, but he still had two stolen Proglide razors hidden in his coat.

A resident of Luther Manor, 4545 N. 92^nd St., reported that some time since the previous Saturday someone had stolen $60 out of her purse, which she had left underneath her shoes in her closet after a lunch outing. She noticed that her shoes were out of place and her purse unzipped and discovered the theft. She had had no visitors, and only staff had entered her room, she said. The security director told officers that there had been a number of petty thefts recently and a staff member was under suspicion. Officers planned to question her but had not yet filed a report on any further investigation.

The choir director at Wauwatosa West High School reported that some time between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday someone had stolen his personal bag containing an iPad and two checkbooks from either the choir room or the auditorium. He was unsure in which place he had left it.

Thursday

A resident of the 4600 block of Parkside Drive reported that he had frightened off two young men or boys who he believed were trying to rob him. He told police he was standing in his driveway when he saw the two approaching on the sidewalk. When they got to his driveway, one of them walked up to him and asked directions to Congress Street. The homeowner pointed south and said, “That way.” But then the youth said, “Never mind that, what do you have in your pockets?” At first, the man was frightened and quickly took out his cell phone and car keys. Then the youth asked if he had any money. The man said, “No,” and then became angry and, he said, began to scream at the two, yelling at them to go away. They did, at a run, and disappeared on Courtland Avenue. The resident told officers that at no time did either of the subjects show or imply that either had a weapon and in fact did not make any actual threats. Police could not locate the subjects.

A 24-year-old Germantown woman was arrested for theft after police were called to Central Bark Doggy Daycare, 6442 River Parkway, where she was employed part-time as a dog groomer. Cash register shortages of $90 and $60 had been discovered on Tuesday and Wednesday, and a video review showed the suspect taking it.

An 18-year-old Wauwatosa man was arrested for possession of a dangerous weapon on school property after he showed a pocket knife during a minor confrontation with another student at the Alternative High School at the Fisher Building, 12121 W. North Ave. He said he carried the knife for self-protection and thought the other student was threatening to stab him with a pencil.