Gregory Carson has been in and out of jail since 1976.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous that this guy has not been put away for a long time,” a Jersey Mike’s sandwich shop owner Jim Murphy said.
Murphy owns the Jersey Mike’s shop on Miller Parkway. He’s upset that one of his store employees became the victim of a phone scam that sounded believable.
“He (the scammer) talks about how somebody lost a wallet in the restaurant and that he’s from corporate and we need to pay the person back the money because a crewperson took money from the customer’s wallet,” Murphy said.
Carson is the prime suspect in this case, according to court documents obtained by TODAY'S TMJ4.
Waukesha police recently charged Carson with theft in March for allegedly scamming a Starbucks employee out of $1,400 using the same scenario.
Carson is also being investigated for allegedly scamming employees at Rocky Rococo on Miller Parkway and George Webb’s in Wauwatosa.
"I think he actually comes into the stores and listens for crew people's names,” Murphy said. “He also asks who is on the crew today and I think he calls at different times asking different questions and then sets himself up to be successful."
Armed with information about the restaurant, investigators say Carson will call the restaurant back and threaten to terminate employees if they don’t take money out of the register.
According to court documents, the workers are instructed to bring the cash to the intersection of 28th and Wells which is just down the road from where Carson resides.
“I don’t want to talk,” Carson told reporter Eric Ross when he knocked on his door.
Carson has dealt with 27 criminal cases since the 1970’s, but never spends much time behind bars because the theft charges are misdemeanors.
Restaurant owners are now warning others to be on guard and be suspicious of anyone calling and claiming to be from corporate, especially during nighttime hours or on weekends.
“The corporate office would never call on a Sunday,” Murphy said.
Carson is due in court in Waukesha County in May.
