'Not the smartest crime:' 3 accused of stealing 150+ scratch offs in Grafton, Menomonee Falls
Grafton Police Captain Joseph Gabrish
GRAFTON -- Grafton and Menomonee Falls police are looking for three suspects accused of stealing scratch-off lottery tickets -- as many as 153 of them.
According to police, the suspects will distract the clerk, grab the tickets and flee.
They're accused of getting away with more than 100 scratch-off tickets at the Speedway in Menomonee Falls. And in Grafton...
"I believe they were 40 tickets, anywhere from $1 to $5 a piece," said Grafton Police Captain Joseph Gabrish. "They have their system down. They have a decoy both with ours and the others."
Police in Menomonee Falls say it happened at the Speedway gas station on Main St. near Shady Ln. early Saturday, March 17.
It happened shortly before 5 a.m.
PHOTO GALLERY
Speedway Menomonee Falls
Police say an investigation has revealed a female suspect entered the Speedway and proceeded to talk with the clerk at the rear of the store -- creating a distraction by dropping a glass bottle, which broke.
Then, two male suspects entered the store -- one of them going behind the counter and removing 18 "Crossword Craving" scratch-off tickets. The two males then fled the store. One soon came back inside and went behind the counter and removed 95 "Wild Bingo" scratch-off tickets before again fleeing the store.
The female suspect soon left the store without making any purchases.
The same crew is accused of hitting up the Citgo gas station in Grafton. The female suspect is suspected of casing the convenience store, and then coming back in an hour later asking to use the bathroom.
"Went in the bathroom for a few minutes and came out and said the toilet was flooding and the clerk said 'well, use the other bathroom.' She said 'no, you really have to get in there. It's flooding all over the place.' He went in there to check it out, and while he was in there, her and her accomplice stole several lottery tickets and fled the scene," said Captain Gabrish.
Citgo in Grafton
They ran out to a vehicle waiting outside.
"It's probably not the smartest crime in the world," said Captain Gabrish. "The state can turn these off very quickly and render them useless and they are still going to be charged with the crime -- the three of them."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police. We're told so far, police do not believe the scratch-off tickets, which are now invalid, have been redeemed.