Port man’s SUV stolen from under his nose as he watched Packers play

Buzz Knaub walked out of his house after the game to find something missing — his Jeep Compass that was later found in Milwaukee during a traffic stop

BUZZ KNAUB stood next to his 2018 Jeep Compass Tuesday night. The vehicle was stolen from outside his Milwaukee Street home during the Green Bay Packers game on Sunday, Knaub said, and when Milwaukee police recovered the vehicle on Monday there wasn’t a scratch or dent on it. Photo by Sam Arendt
By 
KRISTYN HALBIG ZIEHM
Ozaukee Press staff

Buzz Knaub remembers seeing his 2018 Jeep Compass parked in his driveway Sunday morning before the Green Bay Packers game against the Detroit Lions.

He said he walked the 42 steps from his Milwaukee Street house to Rascals Port, where he is a bartender, to set up for the day. When he headed home, he saw the parked car.

He watched the game in his home just about eight feet from where his car was parked — his back was to the driveway — and went out the front of his house for a smoke after the Packers victory.

“I looked and said, ‘My car’s not there,’” Knaub said. “I thought, ‘Did I drive to work today?’”

He had not, so Knaub texted his brother Gary and asked, “Do you have it?” 

“I thought maybe he was joking around with me,” he said.

But his brother texted back, “Have what, Covid?”

It was then Knaub realized his car was gone, stolen during the game from his home in downtown Port.

“I knew it was gone. I was not going to see my car again,” he said. 

He reported the theft to the Port Washington Police Department and figured he would never again see his car or its contents.

“I had my golf clubs in there, but they don’t work very well,” Knaub said. “I had my tennis racket, which works a little better.”

And he had a small refrigerator he won in a golf outing in the car.

“I figured it was all gone,” Knaub said.

But about 7:30 p.m. Monday he received a call from Police Lt. Kurt Knowski telling him his car had been found in the 3400 block of 26th Street in Milwaukee.

He initially thought the car was parked and abandoned, Knaub said, but he later learned that Milwaukee police had pulled over the car and two occupants. When the officers checked the license plates, they found out the car had been stolen.

Knaub said he doesn’t know if the two people in the vehicle at the time had stolen it.

On Tuesday, a friend drove him to the City of Milwaukee Tow Lot to pick up his car.

“There were no dents or anything,” he said. “They left me my golf clubs and my tennis racket.”

All that was missing was the refrigerator, he said.

He cleaned the car, noting, “They were having their snacks in there.”

He has learned a lesson, Knaub said.

The thieves, he said, were able to take the car easily because he had left his key fob in the car and the doors were unlocked.

“Bad me, I know,” Knaub said. “But I trust Port Washington. But shame on them for taking it — that’s my property.”

And yes, when he was interviewed Tuesday, he said, “It is locked right now.”

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Wisconsin’s largest paid circulation community weekly newspaper. Serving Port Washington, Saukville, Grafton, Fredonia, Belgium, as well as Ozaukee County government. Locally owned and printed in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

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