Police Reports: Clerk Questions Permissive Employment Policy

A clerk and her manager at one Mayfair Mall store, incensed that management at another mall shop allowed a young woman to go on working after allegedly taking part in a theft, decided to call police and have her investigated.

As a result, the suspect was indeed unable to finish her shift – she was arrested on two outstanding warrants, for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

The 19-year-old Milwaukee woman was arrested Dec. 22 after a stolen dress was found in her possession. She had entered the Forever 21 store with a young man, and a clerk recognized her as an employee of Skechers and him as an employee of Ann Taylor, both of whom, she said, stopped in about once a week.

The Forever 21 clerk said the young man asked his companion what she liked in the store. She pointed out a dress, and the two of them went to the back of the store with it.

The young man then walked out slightly ahead of his female companion, and he set off a security alarm. The clerk followed them, but they split up.

She went to Skechers with mall security officers, where she found and recovered the dress, in the presence of Skechers' managers. The young woman apologized and, apparently, she and her employer thought that was that.

But the Forever 21 clerk and her manager were angry that Skechers allowed the woman to continue working and decided to call police. Officers discovered the two warrants, both through the Glendale Police Department, arrested her and held her for Glendale police.

The young man was confirmed to be an employee of Ann Taylor but was not actually on duty that day and could not be found.

In other incidents:

Last Tuesday

A resident of the 6200 block of West Meinecke Avenue reported that overnight someone had smashed the driver’s window of his company van while it was parked in his driveway. Nothing was taken from the van.

Dec. 24

At 4:41 p.m., two Milwaukee girls, 15 and 17, were arrested for theft at Macy’s in Mayfair Mall after they were seen hiding merchandise in bags and then tried to leave without paying. But that turned out to be only the beginning. The two had items from Boston Store, Bath and Body Works, Forever 21, Hollister, Wet Seal and 5-7-9, as well, and the grand total of merchandise was more than $420 retail value.

At 2:14 p.m., a 29-year-old Milwaukee man was arrested for disorderly conduct at Boston Store at Mayfair after he tried to return $250 worth of merchandise without a receipt and then created a loud and profane disturbance when he was refused.

Dec. 23

A resident of the 2200 block of North 105th Street reported that between 4 and 5 p.m. someone had entered her home and ransacked her son’s room, stealing shoes and hats she valued at nearly $1,200. She said she had run an errand, leaving the garage door closed behind her, and returned to find it partly open, as was the door leading into the house. Her son, who was at work at the time, told officers he suspected an acquaintance of his who was “shady” and wears the same size shoe. There was no sign of forced entry.

A 21-year-old Wauwatosa man has again been arrested for domestic battery, as well as bail-jumpin, for striking his girlfriend, with whom he lives in her mother’s home in the 2400 block of North 111th Street. It was the fifth recent incident of domestic violence reported between them, and he was wanted on a felony warrant for possession of narcotics.

A manager at Fast Track Lube, 6207 W. North Ave., reported that overnight someone had broken in to the business and stolen cash from an office. He said he had entered through the locked front door and noticed a couple of things amiss – a garbage can knocked over and a large screwdriver on the floor – before finding that the office was ransacked and the back door ajar. Besides a box of petty cash, a battery tester was stolen, and the burglar or burglars tried without success to pry open the cash register.

Dec. 22

A Wauwatosa woman reported that between 3:30 and 4:45 p.m., while she was at Wisconsin Athletic Club, 8700 Watertown Plank Rd., someone smashed the front passenger window in her car. Nothing was taken in the break-in.

At 4:42 p.m., a 33-year-old Milwaukee woman was arrested for theft at Kmart, 3201 N. Mayfair Rd., after she was seen putting merchandise in her purse and was stopped when she tried to leave. She had four items worth about $52.

At 2:03 p.m., a 55-year-old Milwaukee woman was arrested for possession of stolen property and her 24-year-old daughter was charged with disorderly conduct after they were reported stealing from Name of the Game in Mayfair Mall. The older woman had been seen stealing a Packers winter hat three days before but couldn’t be stopped. She returned Saturday, wearing the hat, and was seen putting a Packers sweatshirt in her purse. The two were stopped, and when the mother was told she would be arrested for theft, the daughter threw a loud, profane fit and threatened store employees.

A Colgate woman reported that while her car was parked overnight at a residence in the 2400 block of North 100th Street, someone broke her front passenger window and stole cash from her purse.