Trump campaign team vehicle stolen from Milwaukee hotel, teen charged
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee teen has been criminally charged, accused of stealing a vehicle from the Pfister Hotel on Saturday, July 13. The vehicle was assigned to a Trump Campaign Advance Team member.
Charles Lucas, 17, is charged with operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent and criminal damage to property (less than $2,500).
According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched to the Pfister Hotel around 4:30 a.m. on July 13 for the report of a stolen vehicle. When police arrived at the scene, a Pfister Hotel security officer stated that at approximately 4 a.m. a male wearing a black mask had entered the valet room and forced open the valet key box.
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The subject, later identified as Charles Lucas, allegedly took a key to a black 2023 Chevy Tahoe, which was assigned to a Trump Campaign Advance Team member.
The complaint indicates Lucas drove down the ramp and through the Mason Street gate arm, causing damage to the gate arm. The security guard stated that he caught the door handle as it passed and tried to open it, but Lucas had locked it.
Charles Lucas
Around 7 a.m., officers were tracking the GPS of the stolen Tahoe and discovered that it was at Walmart on Brown Deer Road. The vehicle was unoccupied. Police located Lucas inside the store and took him into custody. Officers located the key to the Tahoe on Lucas, along with multiple other keys taken from the Pfister.
During an interview with investigators, Lucas claimed he was looking for an outlet to charge his phone at the hotel when he saw a cabinet and became curious as to what was inside, the complaint says.
Lucas told investigators the cabinet was locked, but it was easy to get it open. He stated once he got it open he saw all the keys inside and grabbed a handful. Lucas told police he pushed the chirp button on one of the key fobs and heard the chirp and located the vehicle, a Tahoe. That's when he got into the vehicle and started driving.
Lucas made his initial appearance in court on July 15. He is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on July 23.