Milwaukee man accused of masterminding armed robberies, suspects posed as police officers

MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee man is now in custody -- accused of masterminding several armed robberies in town. The suspected armed robbers posed as police officers.

This is a story FOX6 News first told you about in November 2016 as three men were charged with crimes after they allegedly robbed several homes at gunpoint while wearing police gear. Prosecutors say Justin Figgs, Brandon Streff and Zedric Byrd were responsible for the armed robberies and impersonating peace officers.

But since we told you about them, a court affidavit says they told police about 43-year-old Travis Young, now in custody as well.

The jailed suspects told police Young bought most of the police gear for the robberies and supplied most of the guns, allegedly acting as a fence, selling the items. A quick internet search shows that clothing with police inscriptions is easily available.

Prosecutors say the men are responsible for a string of robberies.

In July, a victim on Milwaukee's east side was robbed, allegedly by the men.

In August, another victim on Milwaukee's northwest side told police the armed suspects wore knit caps with the word "police" on it -- and black coats with "police" written on the front.

In October on Milwaukee's far south side, victims described three suspects wearing black baseball caps with "police" on the front, black T-shirts with "police" on the front, armed with a black semi-automatic handgun and an AR-15 type rifle.

In November, it happened again. Prosecutors said the suspects were wearing police clothes and were armed with a large semi-automatic handgun.

Police caught three suspects at that time and said they were also wearing holsters and handcuffs. One suspect was wearing a State of Wisconsin Department of Corrections badge.

Court documents show police are going to compare Young's DNA with what they found on guns, a walkie-talkie and other police-like gear they recovered after serving a search warrant.