Mom, teen accused of birthday robberies

A 17-year-old in town from Chicago for his mother's birthday is accused of robbing two gas stations in Greenfield and Milwaukee at gunpoint before he and his mother - suspected of being the getaway driver - were captured by Greenfield police last night.

Others along for the ride? The woman's three other children, a 13-month-old girl and two boys, ages 10 and 14, who Greenfield police said were aware that their older brother was robbing businesses after planning out the capers with their 37-year-old mother. Police said the 17-year-old used a replica semiautomatic pistol during the robbery.

The 17-year-old and his mother are being held at Milwaukee County Jail this morning pending possible charges in the Greenfield robbery. The other three children have been turned over to the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare, according to Greenfield police Deputy Inspector Bradley Wentlandt.

No one was injured during the robbery.

Greenfield police used witness descriptions of the mother's 1999 silver Ford Taurus that fled after a robbery just before 8 p.m. at Speedway at 3390 W. Loomis Road to track the mother-son duo to the south side of Milwaukee. Officers found the car near S. 35th St. and W. Oklahoma Ave., where the older teen ran from the car, pursued by three Greenfield officers. The mother and three younger children remained in the car.

The 17-year-old soon was arrested behind Zablocki Library, 3501 W. Oklahoma Ave.

Wentlandt said police are investigating the case in connection to a second armed robbery the son and mother are suspected of committing in Milwaukee about an hour before the Greenfield robbery occurred. Milwaukee police this morning did not have information available on that case.