Man with Secret Service warrant found hoarding stolen cars in Kenosha area airport hanger

KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Daniel Burke remembers a man who called himself Ralph coming around his hanger at the Westosha Airport and offering to work.

“Seemed like he was doing some welding and stuff like that. I’d pay him, just come around. Kind of snooping around though. It kind of bothered me.”

It turns out the man was John Nolan, who allegedly stole his tools.

But the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department didn’t find him until someone spotted a stolen car near the hanger,  and deputies found much more.

“$50-60,000 if not more of vehicles found inside this hanger," said Sgt. Mark Malecki with the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department. "While they were inside, sifting through all these things, it appeared someone was possibly living in there.”

Nolan was found with a 1923 Ford Model T, as well as multiple other stolen cars, two trailers, two dogs, and a macaw.

The Sheriff’s Department says Nolan lived in the hanger for up to nine months under the alias Sean Brosnen and had a warrant for his arrest from Secret Service.

“The whole thing is just, bizarre," Malecki said. "it’s bizarre. It doesn’t happen every day in Kenosha County where we’re hanging out in airport hangers, arresting people with federal warrants, and classic cars. Very, very strange.”

Nolan attempted to escape through a hole in the roof, but police caught him and have since returned the stolen cars to their owners.

But some things are still missing.

"What can I say? Burke said. "I’m missing some tools, and I’m very upset about it.”

In addition to the federal warrant, Nolan now faces four felony theft counts from the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department.

They are still trying to return stolen items.