Teens Harbor Stolen DVDs in Rented Out 'Office' Space

Two Port Washington teens got in trouble for underage possession of alcohol after a trail of stolen DVDs lead police officers to the group's downtown "office." 

A Port Washington Police officer responded to the W.J. Niederkorn Library at 9:34 a.m. Nov. 27 after the library's Director David Nimmer called to report stolen DVDs, according to police reports.

A visitor to the library had tried to check out a DVD, but, after bringing it to the counter, realized it was empty, Nimmer said. Nimmer checked surveillance video archives from recent days, and saw two individuals taking DVDs out of the cases and putting them in their pockets, according to the report; he said it appeared in the video that the two teens took five movies.

From the videos, Nimmer was able to pull photos of the two individuals who police identified as two 18-year-old Port Washington boys, the report said. Police learned that the two boys were possibly staying in an office space they had rented in the 300 block of North Franklin Street.

An officer stopped by and confirmed with a receptionist that the boys were renting space there, the report said. The officer went to the space the boys were renting, and noted, "it was not furnished as a traditional office, there was a sofa, TV ... a coffee table with numerous beer cans strewn about."

Near the TV, the officer noticed a stack of DVDs including some with the library's sticker on the binding, proving the library's ownership of the movie. He found three total DVDs with the library's symbol, as well as a DVD belonging to the Oscar Grady Library in Saukville. That DVD was later found to be checked out, but overdue; police returned it to the library.

The officer had called out continuously upon entering the office space, but no one was home. He made contact with one of the teens via phone who said he was walking on Spring Street, the report said. The officer picked up that teen and took him to the police department, explaining he had found the stolen items at his place.

The teen admitted to stealing the DVDs, but said that the beer cans belonged to friends of drinking age who had been over the night before, the report said. The officer and the teen returned to the "office" to search for the last two DVDs.

While there, they found another DVD, "Man on a Ledge." The officer also found full beer cans inside a fridge; because the beer was left at a property the teen was in charge of, the officer said he had to issue him a citation for underage possession of intoxicants, the report said. The teen dumped the beer down the drain, as instructed.

The incident was forward to the District Attorney's office as the teen is also currently dealing with the Ozaukee County Courts system because of several charges: criminal damage to property, disorderly conduct, disorderly conduct use of a weapon and hit and run.

The department also worked to make contact with the second teen, and both were cited for the theft as well as underage possession of intoxicants.