Diamond rings stolen in Milwaukee area, Indiana man gets probation

MILWAUKEE COUNTY - An Indianapolis man, who prosecutors said stole three diamond rings from three Milwaukee-area jewelry stores in three months, has been sentenced.

Man sentenced

In court:

A Milwaukee County judge sentenced Timothy Dodd to one year of probation. The judge originally sentenced Dodd to two years in prison plus an additional two years of extended supervision, but then stayed that sentence and opted for probation. 

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Court records show Dodd pleaded guilty to two theft felonies and a gun possession felony, and a third theft felony was dismissed as part of a plea negotiation.

Three stolen rings

The backstory:

A criminal complaint detailed three crimes that took place in May, June, and July 2019, ending with Dodd's arrest in Milwaukee.

Glendale theft

Dig deeper:

The first crime took place on May 18, 2019, at Kay Jewelers at Bayshore Town Center in Glendale. An employee said she was helping a customer who asked to see a diamond ring – a Leo Diamond. The employee brought the ring out of a display case and put it into another display, and the complaint said the man then removed the ring from the display and placed it in his pocket. When asked to give it back, the complaint said he denied having it. When he was told police would be called, he ran from the store with the ring valued at nearly $6,000.

The complaint said Dodd later admitted to taking the ring from Kay Jewlers and gambling it in a dice game, which he lost.

Wauwatosa thefts

Dig deeper:

Police were called to Rodgers and Hollands at Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa on June 5, 2019. There, an employee indicated a customer wanted to purchase a ring and a pair of earrings. As she began to ring up his items, the complaint said he indicated he wanted to compare the ring to another ring he was going to purchase. When they got to the display case, the employee asked for the ring back, and the man denied having it. When the employee said she was going to call security, the man left with the 1.25-carat diamond ring valued at more than $7,000.

The complaint said Dodd later admitted to taking the ring, and said he planned on giving it to his girlfriend, but it was taken from him in a robbery.

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Police were called to Zales at Mayfair Mall on July 1, 2019. An employee said she was helping a customer who wanted to look at diamond rings for his fiancée. When she asked for the ring back, he denied having it, and eventually left the store with the 1.95-carat diamond ring, valued at more than $16,000.

When Dodd was arrested the next day, the complaint said this ring was located on him. The complaint said Dodd admitted to taking the ring, and said he went to the store knowing he was going to take a ring to give to his girlfriend.

Dodd's arrest

Dig deeper:

Police were called out to the area near 6th Street and Garfield Avenue in Milwaukee on July 2, 2019. Someone complained of a person with a gun, and a woman identified that person as Timothy Dodd, who was found walking in the area.

When officers approached, Dodd fled from the officers, the complaint said. However, the officers caught up to him and arrested him. A pistol was found in his shorts, along with a diamond ring with two tags on it. This was the ring taken from Zales at Mayfair Mall. The complaint said Dodd indicated he had the pistol "for protection."

The complaint noted a records check with the State of Indiana revealed Dodd was a convicted felon for robbery in December 2015. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.