Theft Broken Up; Stolen Vehicle, Warrant Bring Charges

Ironically, police arrived just a bit too soon on a call to a suspected theft in progress at Mayfair Mall, scaring a suspect into abandoning his loot.

But officers didn't go away empty-handed – they arrested an accomplice who was waiting in a stolen van, and he has been charged with a felony, and a robbery warrant put away his companion – who tried the job while wearing an ankle bracelt.

Deishun Lamont Byrd-McWay, 18, of Milwaukee was charged Wednesday with one felony count of operating a vehicle without consent, punishable by up to three years and six months in prison.

Charges of theft and resisting arrest were initially brought against his 17-year-old companion, also from Milwaukee, but were dismissed Thursday on the prosecutor's motion.

According to police reports:

At 6:29 p.m. last Sunday, police were called to Macy's by security staff who believed they were watching a grab and run theft in the planning.

They had their eyes on a young man who appeared to be "staging" a large amount of clothing near an exit. They expected he would soon snatch up the pile and bolt out the doors.

Officers were nearby and quickly rallied to the exit, where they saw a minivan waiting just outside the doors with Byrd-McWay at the wheel. When he saw a squad car pulling up, he jumped out and ran.

Inside the store, the 17-year-old did pick up his intended haul, but as he started out, he saw his predicament and dropped everything. He, too, made a run for it.

Byrd-McWay was swiftly corralled in the parking lot, and the 17-year-old was trying to scale a chain-link fence at the back of the Mayfair property when officers caught up to him.

Macy's employees totaled up the pile of property dumped at their doors and found $1,700 worth of jeans and shirts.

But apparently prosecutors decided that since the 17-year-old hadn't actually left the store with the goods, they would have difficulty proving a case against him.

He wasn't going home, however; he was wanted on a robbery warrant by the Division of Juvenile Corrections and was actually wearing an ankle bracelet when he was arrested.