Menomonee Falls burglary; Thiensville man suspected of selling items
Scott Brandt
MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. - A 46-year-old Thiensville man is accused of burglarizing a Menomonee Falls home – and then selling the stolen items to a coin and jewelry shop. The accused is Scott Brandt – and he faces the following criminal counts:
- Burglary-room
- Theft-movable property (>$10,000-$100,000)
- Misdemeanor theft
According to the criminal complaint, a police officer conducted a follow-up investigation on Feb. 20 regarding a theft in Menomonee Falls. This, after a woman reported several of her stolen items were located at a local coin and jewelry shop. The woman indicated to the officer that she was staying at a Menomonee Falls residence between Jan. 29 and Feb. 9. On Feb. 2, she received a photo text message from a younger woman which showed an engagement ring on her hand. The younger woman said her boyfriend, identified as the defendant, had proposed to her, the complaint says. The victim immediately "recognized the ring to be hers that she kept at her residence," the complaint says. The complaint goes on to say "due to her suspicion that the engagement ring was hers, (the victim) responded to her residence in Menomonee Falls on February 4th and noticed the jewelry pieces were missing from the home office." The victim noted "the engagement ring, a second ring, and a Rolex watch were missing," the complaint says.
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On Feb. 10, the victim returned to her residence and noticed even more items were missing -- including rings, bracelets, a jewelry box, silver bars and old coins. When the victim asked the younger woman about the theft, the younger woman indicated she shared the victim's garage code with the defendant.
Between Feb. 10 and Feb. 20, the victim also noted "her checkbooks had been moved and she realized one check was missing," the complaint says. The victim told police also missing were Coach and Michael Kors purses and boots.
Knowing that the defendant had ties to the Thiensville and Cedarburg areas, the victim visited the "Silver Spring Coin and Jewelry Store" in Cedarburg on Feb. 20. An employee there indicated "he had purchased numerous items from the defendant" and the victim "recognized some of the items as hers," the complaint says.
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When investigators conducted an in-custody interview with Brandt, the complaint says the defendant "ultimately admitted to taking coins and pieces of jewelry" from the victim's home. The defendant "stated he took Michael Kors purses and Coach boots from the residence," the complaint says. Brandt initially denied being aware of any Rolex watch or silver bars. But investigators confronted the defendant with a receipt that showed the defendant had sold silver bars and coins at Silver Spring Coin and Jewelry, the complaint says.
Brandt made his initial appearance in Waukesha County court on Feb. 27. A signature bond of $2,500 was set. Brandt is due back in court on March 14.