Officer Bradley Young in custody after statewide search

GREEN LAKE COUNTY (WITI) -- Authorities spent Tuesday, August 6th searching for 43-year-old Bradley Young, a Wisconsin law enforcement officer wanted for burglarizing a Green Lake County restaurant and stealing a vehicle.

Young was captured on Tuesday evening in Burnett County, with the assistance of Washburn, Barron, Burnett and Douglas Co. SWAT Teams and the State Patrol, DCI and WI DNR.

Young is being held in Burnett Co. Jail on charges of burglary.

Officials say it all began Sunday night, August 4th. Just hours after Young finished his shift at the Waupun Police Department, a robbery was reported at the nearby Piggly Wiggly grocery store.

Then, according to police, the Walkers Kollerviller Restaurant in Green Lake County was forcefully entered in the early morning hours of Monday, August 5th. Officials say they were notified by the owners, who were alerted after a detection system sounded.

Upon arrival, officials conducted an exterior search of the building. During that time, they observed Young exit the restaurant and run into a cornfield. A foot chase ensued, and police lost contact with Young.

A perimeter was established and the Green Lake Area Combined Tactical Unit was called out.  Area law enforcement assisted in the perimeter including a search dog from the Fond Du Lac Police Department.

Shortly after daylight, police say a vehicle was located east of the restaurant in a field entrance.

According to officials, at approximately 2:55 p.m. a Green Lake resident, about two miles northwest of the incident, reported that his 1985 Toyota extended cab truck was stolen. Officials later located the stolen 1985 Toyota truck in Barron County, Wisconsin. After locating the vehicle, a high-speed chase ensued -- which resulted in a crash.

Following the crash, Young fled the scene on foot.

He is accused of then stealing a second vehicle, before he was finally picked up in Burnett County without incident.

Young is described as a veteran officer on the small Waupun police force -- a man so highly regarded by his coworkers, Deputy Chief Scott Louden could not comprehend a phone call from fellow law enforcement -- saying they were on the hunt for Young.

"I thought there was lack of communication or something that was mixed up. There was no type of signs or any indications that he was having any problems. He's looked as a leader to the officers he supervisors.  This is out of character for Brad Young.  I don't know what's going on," Louden said.