'Hot Plates' Lead to Arrest for Theft, Bail Jumping

A routine scan of a license plate of a passing car yielded far more than Muskego Police perhaps expected, as the driver was also found to be under warrant for arrest in two other incidents, and had stolen property in the vehicle.

According to police reports:

On Feb. 9, a Muskego Police officer scanned the license plate of the vehicle Matthew Fisher was driving along Highway 36 and the plate came up as stolen. While the officer was unsuccessful in gaining further backup from another MPD officer, Franklin police came to assist in the traffic stop, which ended up at the Showtime Cinema parking lot.

The license plate was originally reported as stolen by Frey Auto in Muskego from a used car in their lot. The plate was also used on a vehicle that Germantown Police said was involved in a retail theft from a Walmart there.

Police also found two boxes containing a laptop, and two other license plates, one of which was connected with a theft from Walmart in Pewaukee and yet another in Germantown, according to the report. Police reported Fisher also faces an arrest warrant for possession of prescription drugs from an earlier incident.

Fisher is charged in this case with theft and bail jumping in Waukesha County, which each carry a maximum penalty of $10,000 and nine months in jail. He will appear on Wednesday in court to face these charges, as well as the charges from the previous incident, which occurred in March of 2011.