Man Swipes and Pawns Ex-Wife's Jewelry

A 46-year-old Cudahy man is accused of stealing from his ex-wife’s Bayside home, then pawning the items for cash.

Richard A. Eckart was charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court Sunday with one count of theft. If convicted, he faces up to nine months in prison and $10,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

On Aug. 22, a woman living in the 8900 block of Navajo Road contacted the Bayside Police Department after she discovered four items missing from her jewelry box. The woman said she had suspected her ex-husband in the theft and after confronting him, he admitted he took the items and pawned them.

Officers checked the Northeastern Wisconsin Property Reporting System and discovered Eckart had pawned 30 items in the two weeks before the theft was reported by his ex. The woman looked at the list of items and was able to identify 20 of them as her property.

Eckert told police he took eight items from the victim without her permission, but he had permission to take the other missing items. He said he pawned the items so he could get money.

Eckart will make his initial appearance in court Dec. 4.