Police investigate pursuit, burglary
To help
Anyone with information about the police pursuit or tavern burglary Wednesday in Milton is encouraged to call the Milton Police Department at (608) 757-2244 or Janesville Area Crimestoppers at (608) 756-3636. Tips also can be texted to 274637, then include "JACS" and the message.
MILTON — Authorities are investigating a burglary at a Milton tavern and a high-speed pursuit that took place Wednesday, the Milton Police Department reported.
According to a police department news release, officers attempted to pull over a green Dodge Dakota pickup truck for a traffic violation at about 6:45 a.m. Wednesday on Highway 26.
The driver of the truck sped away and led officers on a pursuit south on Highway 26 towards Janesville, reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour, police reported.
Officers ended the pursuit near Janesville because of traffic and safety concerns.
The driver and a passenger in the truck are described as white males in their 20s wearing black hooded sweatshirts.
Officers lost track of the vehicle while it was eastbound on Rotamer Road near Wal-Mart in Janesville, but they have since located it. As of Wednesday, police had not located the suspects, said Milton Police Lt. John Conger.
Shortly after the pursuit, police discovered a burglary at Gopher's Bar and Grill, 229 N. Janesville St. Suspects reportedly broke in through a window.
Gopher's owner Tina Thompson said the bar had cash stolen from envelopes and burglars also forced open poker machines and an ATM, taking cash from inside. Thompson said burglars ransacked the garbage but did not take a laptop computer she had left in the bar.
Conger said it wasn't clear Wednesday if the pursuit and the burglary are linked. He would not give further details.
The burglary comes on the heels of a burglary to another Milton bar, The Red Zone Pub and Grill, 430 W. High St. That bar was broken into in the early morning hours Dec. 30, Conger said.
Officers are looking into a rash of recent burglaries to other area bars to learn whether any could be linked, Conger said.
