(Photo by Allan)
SILVER LAKE, Wis. — The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an apparent break-in at Benders Bar & Grill in Silver Lake on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. Photographs obtained by Kenosha County Eye show a significant law enforcement presence at the popular establishment, with shattered glass, a baseball bat and a red baseball cap scattered outside the business. Sheriff’s radio traffic suggests investigators were also looking into several other incidents that may be connected, including a theft at a nearby gas station and a suspect who may have suffered significant blood loss.
(Photo by Allan)
The scene outside Benders, located at 409 E. Northwater Street, was surrounded by yellow sheriff’s crime scene tape as deputies investigated. One photograph shows a sheriff’s deputy wearing blue evidence gloves near the building, while another shows broken glass scattered across the concrete walkway leading to the business. A black baseball bat with a yellow section near its handle and a red baseball cap were also visible within the secured area. It was not immediately clear whether those items belonged to a suspect or how they may have figured into the apparent break-in.
Radio traffic reviewed by Kenosha County Eye reveals that deputies were investigating a separate theft at a gas station and convenience store located at 515 S. Cogswell Drive in Silver Lake. During that incident, a man reportedly entered the store, took liquor from the shelves and fled in a gray vehicle. Another man, described as having numerous tattoos on his face, reportedly entered the store and used the restroom before leaving. Deputies discussed surveillance video from the business and worked to identify the individuals involved.
(Photo by Allan)
The suspect in the liquor theft was described as a Black male with a medium build, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, with a small afro. He was reportedly wearing a red sweatshirt, black jogger pants and had a blue sweatshirt draped over his arms. A newer-model gray four-door hatchback or similar vehicle was mentioned in connection with the theft. Deputies subsequently discussed the possibility that a suspect involved in another incident matched the description of the individual responsible for the gas station theft.
One of the more concerning developments came when deputies reported that a suspect may have suffered severe lacerations to an arm and significant blood loss. A deputy asked dispatchers to contact area hospitals to determine whether a man matching the suspect’s description had arrived seeking medical treatment. Deputies believed the injured individual might have a red sweatshirt wrapped around his wounded arm. Radio traffic suggested the incident may have occurred around 5:30 a.m., although the precise circumstances of the injury have not been confirmed.
(Photo by Allan)
The investigation also led deputies to Bassett Road, where they attempted to locate individuals and vehicles potentially connected to the incidents. At one location, deputies reported discovering what appeared to be blood on the exterior of a vehicle. Investigators subsequently arranged to have a brown Chevrolet Equinox towed to a law enforcement facility as evidence. Deputies also discussed obtaining surveillance photographs of three individuals who may have been involved in the investigation.
Later radio transmissions indicated that two individuals had been detained, with one transmission reporting the detentions at 11:54 and another indicating that Miranda warnings had been administered shortly afterward. It was not immediately clear whether those individuals were arrested, what offenses they were suspected of committing, or whether their detention was directly related to the apparent break-in at Benders.
(Photo by Allan)
The possible connections between the incidents are particularly noteworthy because investigators appeared to be examining evidence from multiple locations throughout the Silver Lake area. The gas station theft, the apparent break-in at Benders, the reported injury involving significant blood loss and the vehicle recovered on Bassett Road could potentially be part of a larger investigation. However, authorities have not yet publicly confirmed that all of these incidents are connected or that the same individuals were responsible.
The photographs from Benders show the seriousness with which investigators were treating the scene. The presence of crime scene tape, shattered glass and deputies examining the area suggests that law enforcement was collecting and preserving potential evidence. Whether anything was stolen from the bar, how entry was gained and whether the apparent baseball bat was used to break glass remain unanswered questions.
Kenosha County Eye is working to obtain additional details from the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office, including the circumstances surrounding the apparent break-in, whether the incidents are connected and whether criminal charges are expected. Additional information will be published as it becomes available.
