Editor’s note: The following press release was received from the Whitewater Police Department.

Whitewater Police Arrest Juveniles After Pursuit of Stolen Vehicle

On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at 8:02 am, Whitewater Police received a report of a vehicle stolen from a parking lot in the 400 block of N. Tratt St. in the City of Whitewater. At approximately 8:24 am, officers located the stolen vehicle being operated by two suspects. The suspect driving the stolen vehicle immediately accelerated upon the officer’s attempt to conduct a traffic stop, and a pursuit was initiated. Officers pursued the vehicle at speeds exceeding 100 mph into Jefferson County. Jefferson County deputies assisted deploying spike strips in an attempt to slow the vehicle. The pursuit continued into Waukesha County where Whitewater Police terminated the pursuit due to reported traffic hazards.

After terminating the pursuit, officers remained in the area and were able to determine that the vehicle was stationary in Waukesha County near the intersection of Highway 67 and Wilton Road. The Whitewater Police Department drone was deployed to locate the vehicle. The vehicle was found off the roadway with heavy damage. The two suspects, both identified as juveniles, were located by the Whitewater Police Department with the assistance of Waukesha County deputies and were taken into custody without incident.

The suspects were subsequently confined at the Washington County Juvenile Detention Center. A number of charges including Operating without Owner’s Consent (Wis. Stat. 943.42(2)(b)), Fleeing and Eluding an Officer (Wis. Stat. 346.04(3)), Recklessly Endangering Safety (Wis. Stat. 941.30(1)), Reckless Driving (Wis. Stat. 346.62(2)), and Operating without a License (Wis. Stat. 343.05(3)(a)) will be forwarded to the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office.

The Whitewater Police Department highly encourages residents to lock their vehicles ensuring that vehicle keys are not left inside. Three vehicles were reported stolen to WPD in the past week, and in each instance, vehicles were unlocked with readily accessible keys.

The assistance of the UW-Whitewater Police Department, Palmyra Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office, and Department of Natural Resources is greatly appreciated.

The following announcement was posted on June 24 to the UW-W community by the UW-W Police.

Crime alert

Campus community,

UW-Whitewater Police have recently received several complaints of attempted entries into vehicles. On Sunday, June 23, around 7 p.m., the UW-Whitewater Police Department received a report of a stolen vehicle from a campus parking lot. University police remind all students, faculty, and staff to lock their vehicles, ensure valuables are out of sight, and to call in any suspicious behavior.

If you are ever in a situation where you are unsure or scared, call police immediately at 911 for emergencies, or 262-472-4660. Please visit our website for additional safety tips.