Bathroom bandit arrested after tip from salvage yard worker

GREENFIELD (WITI) -- The so-called bathroom bandit has been arrested after a tip from a Milwaukee salvage yard workers led Brookfield and UW-Milwaukee police to him. The suspect was living in Brookfield.

For nearly four months, police from several departments have been trying to catch the man who’s stealing flushing valves from toilets and urinals in public restrooms. They say he’s taken roughly $35,000 worth of the devices.

Greenfield police first heard of the heists in September. They continued through October and have since spread.

The bathroom bandit has targeted fast food restaurants and college campuses. Flushing valves have been nabbed from MATC, Waukesha County Technical College, ITT Technical Institute, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and most recently Marquette University.

Police believe the thief has some kind of plumbing knowledge because in just a minute or two, he’s able to shut off the water, screw the valve off, and be on his way.