(Kenosha County Sheriff)
SOMERS, Wis. – A second man has been charged in connection with a string of thefts at Hawthorn Hollow, a nonprofit nature preserve in the Village of Somers. The development comes as the first suspect, 68-year-old Clyde Thomas Degroot of Racine, is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday afternoon for his initial appearance.
(Kenosha County Sheriff)
Degroot was formally charged Tuesday in Kenosha County Circuit Court with six misdemeanor counts: two of Theft–Movable Property of $2,500 or less, two of Entry into a Locked Coin Box, and two of Possession of Tools to Break Into a Coin Box. He also received two non-criminal citations for trespass to land.
According to the criminal complaint, Degroot was caught on security cameras entering Hawthorn Hollow after hours and using a piece of metal wire to retrieve cash from locked donation boxes. He admitted to deputies that he had taken money on multiple occasions, describing it as a “dumb mistake,” and said he threw away the tool used in the thefts after investigators came to his home. He was arrested on June 5 and released the same day after posting statutory bail. His initial court appearance is scheduled for July 23 at 1 p.m.
(Kenosha County Sheriff)
On July 14, a second man—54-year-old Brian Keith Ohlrogge of Milwaukee—was charged in a related case. Investigators identified Ohlrogge as a suspect after reviewing additional surveillance footage and conducting follow-up inquiries. He now faces similar misdemeanor charges for allegedly stealing from the same donation boxes during a comparable timeframe. Ohlrogge is due back in court on September 4 for a pretrial hearing.
The thefts reportedly occurred during the early morning hours over several days in late May and early June. Both men were seen on camera arriving at the nature preserve, approaching the donation boxes with tools in hand, and leaving shortly thereafter.
Hawthorn Hollow, operated by the Hyslop Foundation since 1964, spans 40 acres along the Pike River Valley. It includes prairies, woodlands, gardens, trails, and historic buildings. The organization depends heavily on public donations to fund its environmental education programs and land stewardship efforts.
The losses, while modest in dollar amount, have struck a nerve with staff and supporters of the preserve. The incidents have raised concerns about after-hours access to the property and the vulnerability of donation sites that help sustain the nonprofit’s mission.
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5 Responses
scumbags, glad they got caught
POS loser
Gof62ish..
🤦♂️😂😂😂😂
These two guys are not too bright. This one was once quoted, “I was born in a log cabin that I helped my grandfather build.”
His partner was told by his doctor he may want to give up trans fat. He responded, “It’s none of your business who I date.”