Adult Son Arrested, Accused of Burglarizing Parents' Home

A man seen entering a vacationing Wauwatosa couple's home by a watchful neighbor turned out to be the owners' son – but that didn't mean he was welcome.

His parents told police he was not supposed to be there and, yes, they did desire prosecution.

According to police reports:

At 11:30 a.m. Thursday, a 37-year-old Wauwatosa man was arrested for burglary after he entered his parents’ home in the 600 block of North 68th Street without permission and allegedly stole a large number of coins from proof sets owned by his father.

The parents were away on vacation and had asked a neighbor to keep an eye on the house. They had also called the Wauwatosa police to alert them the home would be vacant in their absence – and specifically noted that their adult son was not allowed in the house, because he was a longtime drug abuser and had stolen from them before.

The neighbor called police when he saw someone walk in the front door. The suspect walked out of the house as police waited, his pockets bulging with coins.

He at first said he lived there, but police told him they knew otherwise, and he admitted he was “not really” supposed to be there.

Police called his father, who told them the coins his son had were probably from his proof sets, which he kept in a bedroom closet. The suspect then admitted he’d stolen them because he needed about $25 to support his cocaine addiction.

He claimed repeatedly that the door to home was unlocked and that he did not have a key nor had he forced his way in. Police did not, in fact, find a key on him or signs of forcible entry.

The suspect said he’d been a crack and powder cocaine addict for about 10 years. An officer asked if he didn’t think it was about time for him to get help, and he said, “I just haven’t found a reason to stop yet.”

The officer reminded him he had just been arrested for burglary, a felony, and asked if that wasn’t reason enough.

“No,” he replied.

The police report did not note it, but the wayward son also has a pending theft of property charge, filed Aug. 30 according to criminal court records, meaning he could also be charged with bail jumping.