Man Hired to Do Yard Work Charged with Stealing Couple's Jewelry

A 31-year-old Cudahy man is facing a felony charges after being accused stealing jewelry from a Brookfield home while he was doing yard work.

John C. Talaska made his initial appearance in Waukesha County Circuit Court Thursday on one count of burglary and one count of theft of more than $5,000 worth of items — both felonies. If convicted, he faces up to 18½ years in prison and $35,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

Talaska stole 14 pieces of men's and women's jewelry valued at $9,600 from a home in the 2400 block of Buena Vista Drive in October after he had been hired by the homeowners to do yard work. The owners of the home noticed the jewelry missing on Oct. 28, and suspected Talaska because they had found him inside their home on several occasions when he had no reason to be in there.

Upon further investigation, Brookfield police also discovered Talaska had gone to a Greenfield jewelry store on several occasions in October and sold jewelry.

When police went to Talaska’s home on Nov. 2, he pretended to be someone else and when they asked for identification, he ran down the hall and into his basement. He came out a short time later and told the officers he couldn’t find his wallet, but when an officer told him there was a wallet inside a car in the driveway, he admitted to his real name.

Talaska told officers he lied about who he was because of the theft in Brookfield and an outstanding warrant in South Milwaukee.

Talaska was bound over for trial Thursday and has pled not guilty to the charges. He’s being held in Waukesha County Jail on $3,500 cash bail.