Wauwatosa police say a late-February armed robbery at Mayfair Mall turned into a chase through service tunnels under the complex, ending with three people detained and a stolen gun recovered. Two suspects reportedly bolted into the mall’s back corridors, where officers brought in a K9 team that tracked down one of them. During the arrest, police say a firearm later confirmed as stolen fell from a suspect’s pocket.
The Wauwatosa Police Department shared a short video and write-up of the response on Facebook on April 17, 2026. In that post, the department says officers saw three people running through the mall parking lot, chased two of them into underground corridors, then used K9 Zev to track and help take one suspect into custody. According to the same account, another individual surrendered without incident and officers recovered a firearm at the scene.
Timeline of the February Response
Police say the incident began when officers noticed three people running through the Mayfair Mall parking lot. The pursuit moved inside and into service tunnels beneath the property while other units worked to secure possible exits. Wauwatosa’s annual report lists K9 Zev as part of the department’s K9 unit and highlights how handlers and dogs assist with tracking suspects and finding weapons. That internal record notes the K9 team is routinely deployed in patrol operations. Previous local coverage has chronicled earlier armed incidents at Mayfair Mall, a backdrop that has influenced how the mall approaches on-site security and how officers respond to serious calls there.
What Police Say and What Comes Next
The department’s public post did not name the detained individuals or say whether any criminal charges had been filed, as noted on Facebook. Wauwatosa police are asking anyone with information or video related to the incident to contact the department so investigators can follow up. Officers say they are reviewing surveillance footage along with body-worn camera video as part of the ongoing investigation.
Why K9 Teams Matter at Large Malls
Mayfair’s operator and local authorities have previously invested in canine detection programs after violent incidents, including a 2020 push to add gun-detection K9s, according to past reporting. That earlier focus on canine security helps explain why Wauwatosa officers turned to their K9 unit when suspects ran into the mall’s subterranean service areas during the February response.
