3 suspects accused of breaking into liquor store during Sherman Park unrest
MILWAUKEE -- Three men have been charged in connection with a crime at a liquor store that allegedly happened during the Sherman Park unrest last weekend.
The accused are 45-year-old Durrell Jones of West Allis who is charged with burglary (building or dwelling), 22-year-old Joseph Lindsey of Milwaukee and 20-year-old Devon Love of Milwaukee who each face a single charge of entry into locked building, dwelling or room.
According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched to Clark's Beer and Liquor near 47th and Burleigh around 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 14th because the burglar alarm was sounding at the business. Officers had already been in the area conducting crowd control due to the unrest.
Officers noticed "several windows on the south side of the business were broken out and a glass door on the west side of the building was damaged." They ordered people who were in the building to come out. At that point, Jones and Lindsey emerged and were placed into custody.
Clark's Beer and Liquor, Milwaukee
The complaint says "officers continued to order any people out, indicating that a canine would be entering to search for additional people. When no one responded, a law enforcement canine was sent into the building." The dog located Love and he was placed into custody.
The complaint indicates the owner of the store first noticed something was going on at his business around 12:30 a.m. He accessed his business security cameras from home. Officers had responded to the area -- and the crowd dispersed.
Clark's Beer and Liquor, Milwaukee
Around 1:10 a.m., surveillance video shows Lindsey and Love enter the business.
When interviewed by police, Jones said "he was inside the store to get some beer. He knew the store was closed, and he wasn't supposed to be inside. He said that he didn't get anything because the police arrived."
The complaint says Love "went inside to find a friend he was told was there, not to steal anything."
Lindsey told police "he entered the store through the window, to find the person he knew whom he had seen outside the store. He said there was merchandise in the store, but he didn't touch it."
Jones faces up to 12-and-a-half years in prison and $25,000 in fines if convicted. Lindsey and Love each face a maximum of nine months in prison and $10,000 in fines.
Clark's Beer and Liquor, Milwaukee
Clark's Beer and Liquor reopened for business on Thursday. The owner, Paul Rubitsky, said he was not going to let smashed windows and stolen merchandise stop him from doing business. He estimates criminals damaged and stole about $125,000 worth of property at his store.
"To me, it looked like the people who were initially starting it, we've never seen them before," Rubitsky said.
Rubitsky wishes police could catch the others who broke into his business. Still, he considers himself lucky. He has been able to provide a service for the community -- and jobs for his employees.
"Oh, you got no idea. They were afraid they were going to be out of work just like those people on O'Reilly's. What are they thinking," Rubitsky said.
Rubitsky's staff spent all week cleaning glass-littered floors and restocking shelves so Clark's could reopen on Thursday.
"I know it means a lot to the community. This is their store. Must have been 50 people come in and apologize. They're sorry this happened here," Rubitsky said.