Mosquito Attack Helps Police Nab Fleeing Suspect

Tom Ozimek
9/23/2018
Updated:
9/23/2018

Police in Wisconsin said they caught a suspect after he hid in a cornfield but later gave himself up because he couldn’t stand the mosquitoes.

Deputies said they responded to a call that a man had stolen alcohol from a Piggly Wiggly store in the town Campbellsport, Fond du Lac County, according to ABC.
Store manager Kevin Harvey told WDJT-CBS reporters that he recognized a man placing bottles of booze into a cart at the Piggly Wiggly as the same individual that had previously stolen alcohol there on four occasions.

Surveillance video reportedly captured the suspect on Tuesday, Sept. 18, as he swiped three bottles of Jagermeister.

Harvey chased the man out of the store, it was reported, but the suspect leapt into a getaway car driven by a man later identified as John Wilson. The two fled.

Police chased the getaway vehicle, and the still-unnamed suspect managed to roll out at some point during the pursuit.

Meanwhile, Wilson, who stopped the car after evading the police for about three miles, ran into a cornfield and hid.

Deputies established a perimeter.

Campbellsport Police Department Chief Thomas Dronbrook said the mosquitoes were out in full force.

“As soon as the sheriff’s department arrived that’s the first thing I asked for, if he could give me some spray because it was crazy,” Dornbrook said.

Within an hour, Wilson emerged from hiding with his hands up.

“When we handcuffed him he asked us to wipe his forehead because he had 15-20 mosquitoes on his forehead at that time,” the chief said.

Dronbrook credits the insects with helping make the bust.

“I tease Sergeant Zitlow, he along with a million mosquitoes helped capture the guy,” said Dornbrook, according to CBS.

Wilson faces charges that include evading the police and obstructing an officer of the law.

The unnamed thief remains at large.