Items taken during numerous car break-ins in Wauwatosa have been recovered, but local and federal law enforcement officers are still looking for the person who stole them.
According to the Wauwatosa police report:
A resident of the 1400 block of North 65th Street called in to say that an auto break-in was happening at 3:13 a.m. Jan. 28. The thief was scared off and drove away.
The vehicle was found at State and 68th streets, but the driver eluded officers. The 2005 Nissan Altima was found running but abandoned at 71st Street and Blanchard Avenue, where it had hit a snowbank. Footprints and a shoe were found in the yard.
The vehicle was full of tools, flashlights, three Global Positioning Systems, two phones, two stereos, baby clothes, gift certificates and more items believed to have been stolen from vehicles in the city.
The car had been taken from Milwaukee. The owner believes her 28-year-old son had the car. He is wanted on a federal probation violation warrant and U.S. Marshals have been trying to find him.
Shortly after 8 a.m., a resident of the 7300 block of Milwaukee Avenue reported a garage burglary. The owner had smelled cigarette smoke and found a shoe in the backseat of her car that matched the one left at the scene.