Top Sussex Stories of the Year: Crime

As 2012 winds down, Sussex Patch is featuring the most popular stories of the year — broken down by topic. Here's a look at our readers' favorite crime and court stories of the year. Stories are ranked by popularity, which means the ones that were the most read are at the top of our list.

1. Police Investigate 12-Pound Pot Delivery

Sussex Patch has published its fair share of crime stories in 2012, but the one that was easily the most read happened in late November, when someone in California mailed 12 pounds of marijuana to a Sussex residence. Tipped off by a postal inspector, the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department launched an investigation into the shipment of pot — the second of its type to be sent to the same address in one week.

2. Robber Hits Sussex's Associated Bank 

On an early Saturday morning in July, about an hour before the Associated Bank on Main Street and Silver Spring Drive was scheduled to open, a lone man walked into the building and attempted to rob it. Four employees were inside the bank at the time and stayed in a vault in the back of the building. The suspect, who fled on foot, was never apprehended.

3. Two Charged in Attempted Bank Robbery

The same Associated Bank branch that was hit in July also was targeted for an attempted robbery in March. Only this time, the suspects — a man and a woman — were quickly apprehended and both were charged with felonies. After months of court appearances, both defendants eventually pleaded guilty to reduced misdemeanor charges.

4. Undercover Heroin Bust Leads to Arrest of Familiar Faces

A Sussex woman and two men were charged with multiple felonies after they allegedly sold heroin to undercover Waukesha police officers on several occasions since June.

The three were charged with 13 different drug-related crimes after arranging to sell heroin to undercover police on at least five occasions from June to August.

5. Husband Threatens to Shoot Wife at Quad/Graphics

A 41-year-old Brookfield was charged with multiple crimes in August after police said he  called his wife at work at Quad/Graphics in Sussex, and threatened to come in and shoot her and burn down their house. 

When police officers responded to the man's home, they found 19 guns and rifles. The man was carrying a loaded revolver while being taken into custody. He said he made the threats because he was angry, but denied wanting to hurt anyone.

Other Big Stories of 2012

• Top Sussex Education Stories
• Top Sussex Business Stories