05-04-2025
YMCA thefts; Waukesha County gym among dozens hit in multi-state scheme
The Brief
Two men are accused of stealing from lockers at YMCAs across the country, including in Wisconsin.
Police identify the men as Abdoulah Barry and Natnael Berhanu.
Oconomowoc detectives said the two men are from Ethiopia and are not United States citizens.
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - Police say two men stopped at YMCAs across the country, but not to work out.
What we know
Nearly a year ago, Oconomowoc police said two men went into the YMCA at Pabst Farms to steal from lockers. According to prosecutors, neither man was a member but one of them got in.
Oconomowoc police said the duo made off with wallets, credit cards, hundreds of dollars in cash and car keys.
Investigators said the men used the cards to rack up more than $1,700 in grocery store purchases. But police say it was part of a much larger scheme.
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Police identify the men as 21-year-old Abdoulah Barry and 21-year-old Natnael Berhanu.
The day the two men were in Oconomowoc, investigators said the men pulled the same stunt in Greenfield – and hours later at the YMCA in Sun Prairie. But it did not stop there.
In June 2024, Barry was arrested for credit card fraud in Michigan. In September, an Ohio state trooper pulled both men over. Inside their car, the trooper found "over 70 gift cards, credit and debit cards, IDs, social security numbers and multiple cellphones."
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Troopers discovered Barry and Berhanu are also wanted in Arizona, Indiana and Georgia for gym break-ins.
Prosecutors in Carroll County, Georgia denied FOX6's request for information. But online records indicate both men were arrested there in January for multiple counts of credit card theft – and denied bail.
Oconomowoc detectives said Barry and Berhanu are from Ethiopia and are not United States citizens. Both are charged with theft and identity theft in Waukesha County.
Jon Lange, chief executive officer, YMCA at Pabst Farms
"Providing a safe and secure environment at our facilities is always a top priority at the YMCA. We strive to offer a welcoming environment for all visitors but have implemented stricter entry policy and protocols for anyone wishing to access our facility."
The Source
The information in this post was produced with information from Wisconsin Circuit Court Access.
