Vinegar-soaked Waukesha man charged with burglary

Published on: 10/2/2013

Angel S. Diaz-Martinez, 1356 Dopp St., Waukesha, was charged on Sept. 23 in Waukesha County Circuit Court with burglary, felony criminal damage to property and illegal entry into a building.

According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched at 9 a.m. on Sept. 21 to Apple Nutrition, 1400 Summit Ave., Oconomowoc, after receiving reports of a burglary.

Store manager James Nowak said he showed up to open the business and found the glass front door smashed in with a wrought iron chair. Inside, the store appeared to be ransacked. Pungent vinegar and deep-red cherry juice was spilled out onto the floor and sales merchandise was strewn about. Footsteps from an Adidas shoe indicated the suspect fled west.

Dispatchers advised investigators that a suspicious man was being detained by police at 1081 Regent Road. The man, Diaz-Martinez, had red splotches on his pants and reeked of vinegar.

He was also wearing a shirt, believed to be stolen, which read: "It's Usually the Nuts that Change the World."

Police found in his possession a carpet knife, three small locks, a highlighter and a small tube of Crest toothpaste. All the items were believed to be stolen.

Diaz-Martinez spoke little English, but an officer from the Eagle Police Department was able to translate.

The man said in a statement that he was drunk when he broke into the store. He said that he ransacked the business because he was upset and had previous run-ins with the law. He said that he was a gang member in Mexico and had come to America to change his life.

He said he did not remember putting on the shirt and denied stealing anything.

Diaz-Martinez could face more than 16 years in prison and $45,000 in fines if convicted.

He is currently being held on a $10,000 cash bond and was expected to appear at a preliminary hearing on Sept. 26.