Waukesha County burglary; man accused of stealing car, stamp collection
WAUKESHA COUNTY, Wis. - Investigators say a man walked right into a Waukesha County home when the owner was not around – and that was just the start of it.
Waukesha County prosecutors charged Gary Dobraska with three felonies. They say he had been inside the homeowner's place years ago doing home improvement work. They say he knew the code to get into the garage – where a spare key was hidden.
Detectives say a rare collection of federal duck stamps was stolen from a Waukesha County home in December 2023.
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"The victim had reported it was mostly complete – from the 1930s to 2010-ish," said Detective Mark Conrad.
"When officers checked the closet area was the collection there?" asked Abbey Nickolie, prosecutor.
Detective Mark Conrad
"No," Conrad replied.
"Was victim A upset about that?" asked Nickolie.
"Yes," Conrad answered.
The owner said those stamps are worth $395,000.
Prosecutors say 35-year-old Gary Dobraska got into the man's house when no one was home using a garage keypad. The victim said Dobraska did home improvement work for him six years ago – and that is how he got the code.
Det. Mark Conrad said Dobraska also stole an oil painting worth thousands of dollars, 120 pieces of antique silverware, china dishware and even the homeowner's gun and Lexus.
On Dec. 9, 2023, Germantown police say license plate readers recorded the victim's car at a Walmart parking lot. Nearly a week later, Germantown officers spotted the Lexus at Target.
"When law enforcement located that vehicle, was there a pursuit?" asked Nickolie.
"Yes there was," Conrad answered.
Police were able to deflate the tires. But Washington County prosecutors say Dobraska took off anyway – reaching speeds up to 74 miles an hour. Police tried several unsuccessful PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique) maneuvers to get Dobraska to stop. They were able to arrest him in Milwaukee.
"The firearm was not located in the vehicle," Conrad said.
"What about the collection of duck stamps?" asked Nickolie.
"Those were not located either," Conrad replied.
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Investigators said Dobraska threatened to shoot himself and said that he had explosives in the car. They said Dobraska also "injected himself" with suspected narcotics. According to the criminal complaint, Dobraska later told police it was "cocaine with lime juice."
Gary Dobraska in court
A court commissioner set Dobraska's cash bond at $250,000. Dobraska pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Dobraska's defense attorney and the victim both declined to speak with FOX6 News on camera.