A Grayslake man, who is accused of robbing banks in Lake Forest and Deerfield, was arrested after federal agents were led to the man following a series of clues.
Rajko Bozic, 35, of Grayslake, is accused of robbing the Fifth Third Bank, 990 South Waukegan Road in Lake Forest, on January 6, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court by FBI Special Agent Herbert E. Hogberg.
Hogberg said that Bozic entered the bank and walked to the counter area before he began writing on a deposit slip with his left hand.
“I need your money from the drawer. No one will get hurt,” the note read. Bozic walked up to the teller counter and told the teller, “I have a gun, I will shoot you, give me your money from your top and lower drawer. Now! I have a gun, I will use it. Give me the money now,” according to the criminal complaint.
He handed the note to the teller while he was talking and the teller handed over approximately $4,000 in cash before the robber left the bank.
Bozic is also suspected of committing a bank robbery at the Deerfield Bank & Trust, 660 Deerfield Road in Deerfield, on December 29. Bozic allegedly entered the bank and went to the counter area where he wrote on a deposit slip with his left hand.
He is accused of then going up to the teller counter and giving the teller the slip of paper, which said “I need your money now.” The teller initially did not move and the suspect told the teller, “Just give me your money now,” according to the criminal complaint.
The teller realized the man was robbing the bank and she handed over $3,085. The suspect left the bank.
The Deerfield bank teller told police that she remembered seeing a man similar to Bozic two weeks prior. An FBI agent, who reviewed the security footage, said that Bozic had ‘cased’ the bank in preparation for the bank robbery.
Two hours before the Lake Forest bank robbery, Bozic allegedly came through the drive-thru window and asked the Fifth Third Bank teller if he and his ex-wife had any joint accounts at the branch.
The teller recognized Bozic because the teller previously worked with Bozic’s ex-wife, according to the criminal complaint.
A handwriting analysis performed by the United States Postal Inspection Service concluded that Bozic wrote both demand notes based off an analysis of his marriage counseling notebook and 44 cancelled checks associated with his primary bank account.
The FBI also alleges that Bozic had the following text message exchange with a Lake Forest police officer, who responded to the Lake Forest bank robbery:
Bozic: “Just saw you bud on Waukegan road how you been”
Officer: “Good…how but you”
Bozic: “Good man life is good just taking it day by day”
Officer: “All a man can do”
Bozic: “Yup yup let’s catch up soon grab a beer”
Officer: “For sure.”
The FBI said that the conversation happened just after the Lake Forest bank robbery. The police officer knew Bozic because he frequents a business in Lake Bluff formerly owned by Bozic.
FBI agents recovered cell tower data which put Bozic near the bank moments before the robbery. Bozic then made a $2,000 cash deposit in Lake Bluff an hour later.
Bozic had been released on bond after appearing in front of a federal judge on October 19, the FBI said.