Man Charged With Burglary After 2-Day Crack Binge

A 38-year-old Waukesha man is facing charges after he burglarized a Pewaukee Starbucks after he spent all his money on a two-day crack cocaine binge, according to a criminal complaint.

Daniel A. Groth was charged in on Wednesday with one count of burglary. If convicted, he faces up to 12 ½ years in prison and $25,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

Groth was working as a shift manager at Starbucks, 1390 Capitol Drive, when on Feb. 22 he came in after hours and stole $919 from the store. He disabled the alarm and took cash from the till and a safe using a code assigned to him as an employee.

A manager for the store said Groth was in earlier during the day and was distraught because his mother was in North Dakota and very ill, so he gave him a $500 advance on his pay.

Groth was interviewed by police five days later and admitted to the burglary, saying he had spent the two days prior at a crack house in Milwaukee where he spent $1,200. He said he realized he was broke and was desperate for money.

He will make his initial appearance in court June 25.