Beau Wastel appears before Outagamie County court, August 27, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The man who walked into a Grand Chute coin store disguised in a wig and dress, hit an employee with a pipe wrench before leaving with merchandise, was convicted Wednesday.
Beau Wastel, 33, pleaded no contest to being party to armed robbery. Four other counts were dismissed. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 30.
Prosecutors will request 17 years in prison and 10 years of extended supervision.
According to criminal complaints, Wastel, walked into Affordable Rare Coins in Grand Chute on Aug. 10, 2024. He allegedly asked to see a baseball card in a case, and when the employee bent over to open the case, prosecutors say Wastel hit him in the head with the wrench. The employee ran out of the store and Wastel allegedly ran after him, continuing to swing the wrench at him.
Surveillance video showed Wastel then going back into the store, smashing a display case, and running out with property from the case.
Another suspect in the case, Michael Thorpe, was previously sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in the case. A third suspect, Cory Schmitz, has a pre-trial conference on Sept. 11.
After police issued a news release, they say several tips led them to Wastel. In an interview, Wastel said that Cory Schmitz introduced him to Michael Thorpe. Thorpe “told Wastel he had a ‘lick’ that was going to be easy and they would get approximately $15,000,” according to the criminal complaint. Thorpe and Wastel agreed to split the proceeds, prosecutors say. Schmitz allegedly received a few coins for introducing Wastel and Thorpe to each other.
Thorpe told police he pawned his coins, using a fake ID, and received $300.
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