Mysterious package shows up at Wisconsin home — then armed men break in, cops say
An unexpected package arrived at a Wisconsin home and a night of violence followed, officials say.
A call came into the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 5:25 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, from a Richfield resident saying a man tried to force his way into their home, the sheriff’s office said in a release.
The caller said a mysterious UPS package had arrived at their address and shortly after they took it inside, a man in an orange high-visibility vest knocked on the door, the sheriff’s office said.
The man said a package sent to the home was actually meant for him, the caller told deputies.
“He attempted to force his way into the residence to take it,” the sheriff’s office said. “A physical confrontation occurred between the suspect and the residents” and the man ran away.
Several hours later, at about 9:35 p.m., the sheriff’s office received another call from the same address, the release said.
Two men with guns broke into the home by smashing through a window, according to the sheriff’s office. They demanded the package but the residents told them they already handed it over to deputies, according to investigators, at which point the men left.
Officials didn’t say what was inside the package.
Deputies are investigating and anyone with information is asked to contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 262-335-4378.
“Our office will be aggressively pursuing every single investigative resource to hold these criminals accountable for their brazen actions,” Sheriff Martin Schulteis said, adding that residents should expect to see increased police presence in the area. “Although this was likely a random occurrence, I don’t care. It will not be tolerated in Washington County.”
Richfield, with a population around 12,000, is roughly 20 miles northwest of Milwaukee.
This story was originally published October 18, 2023 at 1:16 PM with the headline "Mysterious package shows up at Wisconsin home — then armed men break in, cops say."