FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Three men accused of stealing electronics from a Fond du Lac department store made initial court appearances Wednesday.
Jaylon Autry, 22, Ricky Bell, 22, and Antonio Butler, 24, face a variety of charges, including robbery and retail theft, for the incident Sunday at Walmart. Bond was set at $100,000 cash each, and all return to court Oct. 26 for a preliminary hearing, according to court officials.
According to the criminal complaint, police were called to the Walmart at 377 N. Rolling Meadows Drive in Fond du Lac around 7:45 p.m. Sunday for a report of a robbery.
Autry, Bell and Butler entered the store and went to the electronics section. One of the men asked an employee to open the locked case behind the front counter to see an iPad.
BELL and AUTRY then reach into the unlocked case and grab Apple watches. AUTRY is seen pulling out a bag that was on his person and opening it for BELL to place merchandise inside. VICTIM 1 attempted to close the case to prevent the three males from taking any items. As VICTIM 1 tried closing the case, BUTLER came up from behind VICTIM 1 and grabbed VICTIM 1 around VICTIM 1’s neck with both arms. BUTLER forced VICTIM 1 down and held VICTIM 1 while AUTRY and BELL continued to grab Apple watches. VICTIM 1 attempted to escape from BUTLER but was unable to get free. VICTIM 1 eventually fought his way out of BUTLER’s grasp and pushed the case door closed. While VICTIM 1 was pushing the door closed, BUTLER grabbed multiple Apple watches before the door was closed,” the complaint states.
The three men left the store with “at least ten” stolen Apple watches worth $3,590, according to the complaint.
Investigators reviewed surveillance video and Walmart sent out an alert to other Walmart stores in the state.
The suspects were spotted at a Watertown Walmart but ran away. Later, police received a call that the Whitewater Police Department intercepted the vehicle in the parking lot of the Walmart in their city.
Fond du Lac police officers went to the Whitewater Walmart and took all three suspects into custody. All the stolen Apple watches were recovered.
All three suspects are convicted felons and have extensive criminal histories in Michigan, Indiana, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
