A quiet New Berlin neighborhood turned into a pre-dawn crime scene Saturday when a 17-year-old from Milwaukee allegedly led police on a chase in a stolen car while officers were already out investigating a rash of vehicle break-ins.
According to New Berlin police, an officer tried to pull over a car tied to those break-ins, but the driver hit the gas instead. The fleeing vehicle blew through multiple tire-deflation devices before finally rolling to a stop near Greenfield Avenue and Vista View Drive, where officers arrested the teen driver. Investigators say the car had been reported stolen out of Milwaukee and that at least one other vehicle was taken during the overnight break-ins. The suspect is being held in the Waukesha County Jail on counts that include driving a vehicle without the owner’s consent and fleeing and eluding.
Officers were first dispatched around 4:19 a.m. Saturday to the 1400 block of South Coachlight Drive for reports of multiple vehicle break-ins, according to a department press release detailed by WISN. Police say an officer spotted a car leaving the area and attempted a traffic stop before the driver sped off eastbound on Greenfield Avenue.
How Officers Brought The Pursuit To A Halt
As the chase moved through the city, officers deployed tire-deflation devices in the road. The fleeing vehicle ran over them, losing its ability to continue, and came to a stop near Greenfield Avenue and Vista View Drive. Officers then took the driver, identified as a 17-year-old from Milwaukee, into custody, as reported by TMJ4. Police say the car had been reported stolen out of Milwaukee and that they recovered evidence showing several cars had been entered in the Coachlight Drive neighborhood.
Second Pursuit Breaks Out On I-94
While officers were still dealing with the first arrest, things escalated again. Police say they saw other individuals get into a different vehicle near the original break-in scene. That car took off too, triggering a second pursuit that ran eastbound on I-94 for several miles before officers decided to terminate the chase for safety reasons, according to FOX6. No additional arrests were made in that second chase, and authorities say no officers or suspects were injured in either incident.
Charges, Cameras And An Ongoing Case
Police say at least two vehicles were stolen in connection with the break-ins and chase and that the investigation is still very much active. Anyone with home-camera footage from the Coachlight Drive area was asked to contact New Berlin detectives, a request included in the department’s release and relayed to the public by WISN and other local outlets…