Police Beat: Someone Takes a Drive in Oakwood Park and a Man in a Tree

A 54-year-old Menomonee Falls resident called police at approximately 11 a.m.  Dec. 28 to report that an unknown suspect drove through his front lawn during the night on the N7000 block of Winter Hollow Dr. The man said he heard a honk from a car horn around 10:30 p.m. Dec. 27, which he believed to be the vehicle. 

Upon further investigation, police discovered roughly 18 other snow-covered lawns and the soccer field at Oakwood Park had been driven over. Police found a chunk of undercarriage from a Kia at the N7100 block of Winter Hollow Dr., and further evidence indicated the suspect was driving south. Since the ground was frozen, officers reported no damage to the yards.

Also from the police reports:

• A 20-year-old male was taken into protective custody after his parents called police to report his threatening behavior at 7:05 p.m. Dec. 28 on the W16000 block of Sherwood Dr. When police arrived, they found the man perched in a large tree making irrational statements. His mother told police that earlier he was attempting to break into a vehicle in the driveway and pounding on the door. His mother said he had threatened to burn down the house and placed   cutting instruments in the bathroom drawer for protection.

• Police are investigating three of thefts from vehicles, which they believe are related, that occurred between 6:30 p.m. and 8:05 p.m. Dec. 27.  

• Six cell phones with a combined value of $2,495 were stolen at approximately 11:30 a.m. Dec. 28 from a locked cabinet in the display section at Best Buy, N95W16855 Richfield Way. Employees are believed to be involved in the theft.

• A 63-year-old Menomonee Falls man told police that between Nov. 29 and Dec. 23, an unknown suspect cashed a check totaling $8,400 from his missing checkbook  at a bank in St. Paul, Minn.

• Between Dec. 13 and Dec. 24, a 23-year-old female Target cashier helped another unknown person steal $2,679.49 in merchandise from the store.  The cashier voided 31 items of merchandise on four separate transactions to allow the other person to walk away with the merchandise.

• A 76-year-old man found a machete and scabbard in the road on the N7700 block of Shady Ln. and turned both over to the police department Dec. 28.