Posted Thursday, November 8, 2012 --- 1:52 p.m.

Press Release from the Columbia Co. Sheriff's Office:

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Portage Police Department announce the arrest of two individuals for a major theft ring from the Midwest. The suspects are believed to have committed over 100 thefts from various Wal-Mart stores in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa. It is estimated that these suspects have stolen over $100,000.00 worth of electronics.

On Tuesday November 6, 2012 at 10:05 a.m. the Portage Wal-Mart Store was a target of an attempted theft where two suspects tried to steal electronics. The suspects cut the security tags off the electronics and as they were leaving the store without paying for the merchandise, store personnel observed them and the suspects took off running. The store employees were able to obtain a license plate on the vehicle and immediately called law enforcement. The vehicle’s license plates were stolen from Illinois. A short time later a Columbia County Detective saw the vehicle and after a high risk traffic stop, both suspects were arrested.

Jennifer N Wolfe, F/W, age 27 and Jeremiah E Sisk, M/W, age 30 were arrested for Felony Theft, possession of marijuana, and possession of stolen property. They are being held at the Columbia County Jail. They are expected to appear in court on Monday November 12, 2012.

Both Wolfe and Sisk are from Colorado but most recently were living in Madison.

Detectives from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and Portage P.D. are working with dozens of other law enforcement agencies around the Midwest in hopes of clearing many of these thefts.

The Sheriff’s Office also reached out to the FBI as Wolfe and Sisk have been crossing state lines while committing their crimes. We are still working with the federal authorities to see if federal prosecution is appropriate.

Wolfe and Sisk are admitted heroin addicts and have been stealing the electronics to support their heroin addiction.

We believe that Wolfe and Sisk acted alone in these thefts. The Sheriff’s Office has sent out a Wisconsin Crime Alert to notify the other law enforcement agencies about this case.