Police investigating pair suspected of fraud in carpet purchases

Two men, including one who disguised himself as a woman, are suspected of fraud after writing worthless checks to purchase more than $4,500 worth of carpet from a Fox Point business.

These same men are suspects in similar incidents in Brookfield and Milwaukee and are under investigation by police and the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department.

According to the police report:

The men, one 24 years old, purchased the carpeting from Kern's Carpet, 8643 N. Port Washington Road, the week of Jan. 7.

The store reported that a man and woman came to the store and purchased two sections of carpeting valued at more than $1,700 and paid by personal check.

They then made three more purchases of the same carpeting again using personal checks, at least one from a different bank.

After that final purchase, the store was advised that the first check was on a closed account and worthless. When the men returned to the store, police reported that the 32-year-old was "wearing female attire."