Seven Firefighters Arrested for Muskego, Wisconsin Thefts
This morning, Police Chief John Johnson confirmed nine people -- seven firefighters and two civilians -- have been referred to the Waukesha County district attorney's office for theft charges related to a Dec. 15 blaze that caused $2 million damage and destroyed a warehouse at W188-S8393 Mercury Drive.
Johnson acknowledged there is a debate about whether some of the stolen items were damaged from the fire and therefore useless. That argument misses the point, he said.
"They shouldn't have taken anything from there and they were told that," Johnson said.
The police chief revealed the arrested firefighters break down as follows from these departments: two from the Big Bend/Vernon Fire Department, three from the Muskego Fire Department and two from the Hales Corners Fire Department.
Fire Chief Phil Buchholtz of the Big Bend/Vernon Fire Department confirmed two of the men are firefighters with his department. The firefighters are the department's 35-year-old deputy chief, who has worked there since 2000, and a 27-year-old firefighter and paramedic employed since 2002.
The men have been suspended with pay until the police department completes its investigation, Buchholtz said. An internal investigation will follow the police work, he said.
"Until I get finalized charges from the Muskego Police Department, something to go on, that's basically where it's stalemated at," Buchholtz said.
The two men represent half of Big Bend/Vernon's full-time staff. The department also uses about 45 paid-on-call firefighters, Buchholtz said.
Dozens of firefighters from numerous departments responded to the fire, and Buchholtz agreed an estimate of 200 firefighters at the scene was possible.
The Muskego Fire Department handled the Dec. 15 fire investigation. Fire Chief Edwin Schaefer left a message explaining his department