MILWAUKEE — Two Milwaukee men have been charged after prosecutors say they robbed a 63-year-old postal worker and stole his arrow key and personal vehicle last week.
Both 23-year-old Lawrence Brooks and 22-year-old Deric Devine were charged Tuesday with robbery (use of force) and operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent. A criminal complaint revealed Brooks was out on bond for stalking and battery at the time of the incident.
Milwaukee police responded to a robbery around 2:45 p.m. near 48th and Rohr on Thursday, July 20. The victim, a 63-year-old postal worker, said two men confronted him, tackled him, and took his arrow mail key, according to the complaint. Arrow keys are master keys that allow postal workers to open any collection box in a specific area.
He saw one of the suspects "barreling down" towards him outside his truck. During the struggle, one of the suspects allegedly said, "We aren't going to hurt you, we just want the keys." After stealing the key, the suspects ran off.
Later that same day, police learned the 63-year-old victim had returned to the Post Office and found his personal vehicle was missing. That's when the victim realized the suspects stole both his arrow key and his personal keys.
The following day on July 21, officers on patrol observed the victim's vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The complaint says Devine was driving and Brooks was in the passenger seat. In the back seat of the stolen car was Devine's infant.
The complaint says Devine alleged he purchased the victim's stolen car from a friend on July 21. After initially denying he had any involvement in the robbery, Devine said Brooks picked him up with two others. One of those people stated, "they got a move," which means someone is going to commit a robbery, the complaint says. Devine said he and Brooks waited in the van while the other two left to commit the robbery.
He claimed the other two returned later with the keys and told him where to get the victim's stolen vehicle. The complaint says Devine originally thought he was going to get paid $500 for his help in the robbery, but instead got the vehicle.
Brooks also denied knowing anything about the robbery or stolen vehicle. In a third interview, the complaint says Brooks alleged Devine and another individual were the ones to rob the victim. Brooks stated he drove them in his van but didn't know about the robbery. When he met up with Devine later, Devine had the stolen vehicle.
The complaint says Devine was later told by detectives that his story didn't match Brooks'. Devine then admitted, the complaint says, to stealing the keys from the victim. When he and the other suspect ran to where Brooks was supposed to be waiting, Brooks was gone. Devine and the other suspect later met up with Brooks, and Brooks drove them to the Post Office to steal the victim's car, according to the complaint.
Devine alleges the other suspect has the arrow key and they used it once but didn't get anything in the mailbox they opened.
If convicted, both Devine and Brooks face a maximum of 21 years in prison and a $60,000 fine.
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