JANESVILLE/DARLINGTON - Authorities are stepping up patrols around southern Wisconsin churches as a precaution as they search for a man suspected of stealing firearms from a gun store after threatening to carry out an unspecified attack.
The Rock County Sheriff's Office says 32-year-old Joseph Jakubowski expressed anti-religious views in a 161-page manifesto he sent to the White House. Police were increasing patrols near Janesville churches Sunday, although investigators say there is no specific threat.
Darlington police say a report of a man matching Jakubowski's description in that city Sunday morning is still under investigation. According to a post on the department's Facebook page, a man wearing blue jeans and a blue denim button-up shirt was seen at about 10:15 a.m. observing Holy Rosary Catholic Church from across the street. He walked over to the church, looked inside but then left shortly after.
Churches in Darlington were notified and police and sheriff patrol cars were stationed near each church, as well as at the fairgrounds where there was a school auction in progress.
Darlington police report two additional sightings were reported, but those did not match the description of the first sighting. The identity of that man remains unknown, although police will continue to work on finding out who it was, the posting said.
Darlington police also contacted the FBI.
Police in Sun Prairie, about 48 miles north of Janesville, say a man who entered Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Thursday and asked about church services was not Jakubowski.
Jakubowski is accused of taking handguns and rifles from a gun shop Tuesday night in Janesville, about 70 miles southwest of Milwaukee. Investigators have followed up on about 320 tips.
The Rock County Sheriff's Office says 32-year-old Joseph Jakubowski expressed anti-religious views in a 161-page manifesto he sent to the White House. Police were increasing patrols near Janesville churches Sunday, although investigators say there is no specific threat.
Darlington police say a report of a man matching Jakubowski's description in that city Sunday morning is still under investigation. According to a post on the department's Facebook page, a man wearing blue jeans and a blue denim button-up shirt was seen at about 10:15 a.m. observing Holy Rosary Catholic Church from across the street. He walked over to the church, looked inside but then left shortly after.
Churches in Darlington were notified and police and sheriff patrol cars were stationed near each church, as well as at the fairgrounds where there was a school auction in progress.
Darlington police report two additional sightings were reported, but those did not match the description of the first sighting. The identity of that man remains unknown, although police will continue to work on finding out who it was, the posting said.
Darlington police also contacted the FBI.
Police in Sun Prairie, about 48 miles north of Janesville, say a man who entered Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Thursday and asked about church services was not Jakubowski.
Jakubowski is accused of taking handguns and rifles from a gun shop Tuesday night in Janesville, about 70 miles southwest of Milwaukee. Investigators have followed up on about 320 tips.