'Gun? I Meant Gum!' Police Don't Buy Home Depot Armed Robbery Suspect's Story

WAUWATOSA -- A 62-year-old Milwaukee man has been charged with armed robbery for an incident at Home Depot in which the man reportedly told a clerk "I have a gun on me."

When police caught up with the suspect, Ira Kern, he told police he mean he had "chewing gum."

Police weren't buying Kern's story, and now the man has been charged with one count of felony armed robbery. If convicted, Kern could face up to 25 years in prison or up to $100,000 in fines, or both.

According to his criminal complaint, a clerk at Home Depot in Wauwatosa was working the service counter when she saw a man later identified as Kern pushing a shopping cart toward the exit.

When the alarm sounded, Kern allegedly held up a receipt for merchandise that was so large it never would have fit into the shopping cart.

When the employee investigated the situation, Kern reportedly reached for his waistband and said, "I have a gun on me," before running into the parking lot carrying the bag of merchandise, the complaint said.

Shortly after the incident, Brookfield police stopped a van containing Kern. Kern's bag of stolen merchandise from Home Depot contained sets of door handles and locksets from Home Depot, valued at $579.95, the complaint said.

Kern is being held in the Milwaukee County Jail on a $5,000 cash bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 7.

image: milwaukee county jail