Crime & Safety

Accused BMO Harris Bank Robber Caught, Charged

Carlton Johnson is facing more than 80 years of imprisonment after police say he robbed the Greenfield bank March 28 and a bank in West Milwaukee three weeks earlier.

A 23-year-old Milwaukee man accused of robbing Greenfield’s BMO Harris Bank late last month and another area bank in early March faces more than 80 years of imprisonment.

Carlton Johnson, a convicted felon, was charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court on April 5, with two counts of felony robbery of a financial institution and one count of attempting to flee or elude an officer, also a felony.

According to court documents, Johnson robbed BMO Harris Bank, 7600 W. Layton Ave., of nearly $3,700 on March 28, after he gave a note to a teller a note that read, “This is a robbery. Stay calm and nobody will get hurt.”

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Johnson is accused of robbing TCF Bank, 1441 Miller Parkway, West Milwaukee, in a similar fashion March 7, that time make off with approximately $3,000.

On April 1, according to the complaint, police finally caught up with Johnson, but not before he led them on a high speed chase.

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That evening, police responded to an apartment in the 8200 block of North 46th Street in Brown Deer. Johnson ran out a door that led to a second-story balcony and jumped into a bush below. He hopped into a 2009 Mercedes Benz and tried to race away at speeds of 70-80 mph, disregarding an officer’s lights and sirens and traffic signals.

Johnson eventually drove the Mercedes into a tree on West Garfield Avenue and North 21st Street in Milwaukee. When an officer ordered him to get out of the car, Johnson backed the vehicle up, collided with a light pole and continued to flee.

Johnson drove onto a sidewalk a short time later, exited the car and took off on foot but was ultimately caught.

The entire pursuit lasted for approximately 12 minutes and covered nearly 10 miles.

Once in custody, Johnson admitted to robbing both banks and losing most of the money at Potawatomi Bingo and Casino.

Johnson was previously convicted of robbery with a threat of force in August 2006, escaping criminal arrest in October 2008 and fleeing or eluding officers in July 2011, all felonies.


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