Bucks' John Henson accuses store of racial profiling

The Whitefish Bay, Wis., Police Department, the department that was dispatched to a jewelry store where Milwaukee Bucks forward John Henson wanted to buy a watch, said a Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers employee requested an officer stand by as Henson and a friend looked at watches, the department said in a news release.

"Our officers refused and left the store. The officers then left the area," the news release said.

Henson posted on a Instagram a photo of the jewelry store and described what he called racial profiling:

“Went to @schwankekasten jewelry today in White-Fish Bay during regular business hours. They locked the door and told me to go away. After I rang the doorbell twice everyone went to the back. No answered the door or told me what was going on. This was followed by two police cars pulling up and parking across the street and watching me for 5 minutes ( I assumed they were called by the store ). I was then approached by 2 officers and questioned about the dealer vehicle I was in which is apart of my endorsement deal with Kunes country Chevrolet and asked me what I wanted amongst other things that were just irrelevant to me being there just trying to shop at the store like a normal paying customer would do. I told them I was just trying to look at a watch. 

“He then had to go in the back and tell them to come out it was safe but this is after they ran my plates and I overheard them talking about doing more of a background check on the car. The employees finally came out of the back and proceeded to conduct business like they previously were as we walked up. This was one of the the most degrading and racially prejudice things I’ve ever experienced in life and wouldn’t wish this on anyone.

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“This store needs to be called out and that’s what I’m doing . You have no right to profile someone because of their race and nationality and this incident needs to be brought to light and I urge anyone who ever is thinking of shopping here reads this and doesn’t bring any business to this discriminatory place”

In a press release distributed by the Whitefish Police Department, police chief Michael Young said Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers had been the victim of robberies at their Milwaukee store and Whitefish Bay store, including a robbery two years ago.

On Friday, Whitefish Bay responded to call from the Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers regarding suspicious phone calls about the store’s hours, and on Sunday, Schwanke-Kasten owner Tom Dixon visited Whitefish Bay police and informed police of a jewelry store robbery in Green Bay, Wis. Dixon gave police a "surveillance photo from that incident of a white male in a mask. He requested extra watch at his store when it opened on Monday," the news release said.

Here is the full press release from the Whitefish Bay Police Department:

Friday, 10/16/15

3:57pm

On Friday, 10/16/15, the Whitefish Bay Police Department responded to Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, 417 E. Silver Spring Dr., at 3:57 pm, for a suspicious activity call. Upon arrival our officer met with an employee of the store who reported they had received a phone call on Thursday, 10/15/15, between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm inquiring as to when they close. The employee told our officer they also received a similar call today (10/16/15) again inquiring as to when they closed. The store’s normal closing time is 5:30 pm and the store employee made the decision to close at 5:00 pm as a precaution.

Theft History

Schwanke Kastren Jewelers has been the victim of robberies at their Milwaukee stores in the past 2 years and there was a theft from their Whitefish Bay Store on 9/7/13 when a suspect grabbed four Rolex watches and fled from the store. In the past several years, throughout the upper Midwest, stores that sell Rolex watches have been the victims of armed robberies, of which several store employees were hurt in these robberies.

Friday, 10/16/15

4:58pm

Our officer parked directly in front of Schwanke Kasten Jewelers store in a dark brown unmarked 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicle. At approximately 4:58 pm, our officer observes a newer red Chevrolet Tahoe park in front of our Tahoe. The officer observed four individuals walk up to the door. The officer observed the people walk up to the door but it appeared that the door was locked. He heard discussion between them and an employee inside the store. At this time the lights in the store were turned off. The officer observed the people get back into the Tahoe and they drove away. The officer noted that the Tahoe had a State of Wisconsin issued Dealer license plate. The officer queried the State TIME system computer to ascertain ownership of the vehicle. It listed to a Wisconsin dealership but not to a specific vehicle.

Friday, 10/16/15

Dealership

Our officer called the dealership and provided an employee with the plate number and a description of the vehicle. The employee stated that the plate listed to a partner dealership and transferred that officer to the other dealership. This person did not recognize the vehicle nor the occupants as being from the dealership. The officer inquired about ways people could get a hold of these type of plates and the employee informed the officer  that they ship many cars to Chicago and it’s possible somebody stole the plates.

My officer called the Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers employee back and informed her that he had spoken to the dealership with whom the plates are listed. He informed the employee that the dealership was running low on plates and that the plates were potentially stolen but that they were not listed as stolen. He advised the employee that if the vehicle came back to call the station.

Sunday, 10/18/15

11:21am

On Sunday, 10/18/15, 11:21am, Tom Dixon, the owner of Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, came to our station and spoke with an officer to report that a Green Bay store that sells Rolex watches was burglarized overnight. He provided our officer with a surveillance photo from that incident of a white male in a mask. He requested extra watch at his store when it opened on Monday, 10/19/15.

Monday, 10/19/15

1:20pm

On Monday, 10/19/15 at 1:20 pm, Whitefish Bay officers were dispatched to Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers as the Red Tahoe had returned. Officers met up in front of 5500 N. Berkeley which is around the corner from Schwanke-Kasten.. They observed two men in front of the store. The officer ran the license plate and it came back to a Ford dealership and came back as “No Vehicle Attached” and was not listed as stolen.

The two Whitefish Bay officers approached the two men in front of Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers and asked what was going on. A man, later identified as John Henson, informed the officer that he was there to buy his first Rolex, but every time he tries the door, it’s locked and they don’t let him in. One of the officers asks him about the dealer plates on the Tahoe. He advises the officer that he plays for the Milwaukee Bucks and that Bucks players get vehicles from this dealership. Neither officer asked Mr. Henson or his companion for driver licenses or any other identification.

The officer called dispatch to request that a Schwanke-Kasten employee come to the front door. The employee told the dispatcher to have the officer come to the back door. After my officer informed the Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers employee that it was a Milwaukee Buck, the employee came to the front door and let them in. The employee requested that an officer stand by as they looked at the Rolexes, our officers refused and left the store. The officers then left the area.

At no time did Whitefish Bay Police make any notice to merchants on Silver Spring because of these incidents.

Respectfully submitted,
Michael D. Young
Chief of Police