Teens accused of suburban gas station burglaries

A 19-year-old Milwaukee man was charged with five counts of burglary after he allegedly tried to break into Speedway, 6804 W. North Ave., the morning of Aug. 10.

He and a 15-year-old Milwaukee man also have been accused of gas station burglaries - some attempted and some successful - in Tosa, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls, Glendale, West Allis and Milwaukee.

According to the Wauwatosa police report:

Rodney Randolph was driving a stolen vehicle when he picked up the 15-year-old boy Wednesday. They drove to Speedway, but decided to hold off on the burglary due to traffic on North Avenue. Later they returned and threw a rock at the door, breaking the glass. Again they drove off because they believed they had been heard or seen.

At the sight of squad cars, they got out of their vehicle and ran several blocks. When Randolph was stopped, he said he was a college student home for the summer and looking for money for school. In several of the other cases, the duo is accused of taking cash registers or money.

Police believe the twosome is responsible for gas station burglaries at 88th Street and North Avenue and at 75th Street and Bluemound Road in Wauwatosa.

The boy said they had stolen cars and used different ones in burglaries in several communities.

The boy had been sentenced to St. Charles and was on probation for driving a stolen car and for armed robbery. His urine test came up positive for tobacco, a violation of probation, July 3, so he ran away even though he was scheduled to be released in a week. A warrant for his arrest was issued the next day.

The boy was arrested for attempted burglary and vehicle theft and taken to the Children's Detention Center.