A call about a person with a weapon near North 82nd Street and West Brown Deer Road on Wednesday evening ended with Milwaukee police chasing down five juveniles and recovering a stolen car, according to police. Officers said they located a vehicle connected to the weapons report and, after a brief foot pursuit, took the suspects into custody at the scene. No injuries were reported, and the stolen vehicle was recovered.
As reported by WISN 12 News, Milwaukee police said the group included three 14-year-old males and two 12-year-old males. The department told the station that potential charges will be reviewed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office and that the investigation remains open.
Pursuit Trends And Stolen Vehicle Risks
According to the city's 2025 Vehicle Pursuit Report, roughly one third of Milwaukee Police Department pursuits last year involved vehicles that were positively identified as stolen. The report also details how many of those pursuits reach high speeds and sometimes end in crashes, factors officers must weigh when deciding how and when to engage. That context helps explain why recovering Wednesday’s stolen vehicle is treated as both a public safety priority and an important investigative step.
Charges And Next Steps
Milwaukee police said the five juveniles were taken into custody and that potential charges will be reviewed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, officials told WISN 12 News. Because all of the suspects are minors, authorities have not released their names or detailed potential counts.
Longer Trend: Auto Theft Efforts Continue
Milwaukee saw a dramatic spike in vehicle thefts during the pandemic, with more than 10,000 reported car thefts in 2021. Local and state officials have since pursued prevention efforts and settlement remedies with automakers, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported via Yahoo Autos. Incidents involving very young suspects and stolen vehicles remain a recurring workload for the department as officials continue investigations and review possible charges.
