Bank Robber Arrested, 9mm Semi-Automatic, Cash Found in Car

RACINE, WI — A Gurnee man has been charged with robbery following an armed robbery at a credit union in Racine this week. When police caught up to him, they found the cash, weapons and drug paraphernalia.

Jason Crawford of Gurnee, Illinois faces up to 25 years behind bars if he is convicted of the charge against him.

According to his criminal complaint, which was filed in Racine County, Crawford walked up to the bank teller at the Tri City Bank located inside a Piggly Wiggly grocery store on Feb. 12 just before 3:45 p.m.

At that point, police state, Crawford passed a note to the on-duty bank teller, demanding that she give him the money present in her cash drawer and that he was armed, the complaint stated.

The teller handed over money, and then fled the store. The note was handed over to police after the incident and the entire incident was recorded on video surveillance cameras, the complaint stated.

Police quickly responded, and were charged with the task of tracking Crawford as he fled the bank. Officers caught up with Crawford a short distance away at an address listed on the 4000 block of Main st., after police were informed that his 2004 gray Volkswagen Jetta with Illinois plates was near, the complaint stated.

According to police, officers conducted a traffic stop on Crawford's vehicle where he was arrested. Crawford's vehicle was towed from the scene. At a nearby dumpster, police found a plastic Burlington Coat Factory bag which contained two black jackets, black shoes and a small plastic bag that contained U.S. currency that was colored with red dye.

Inside the car, police found a brown paper bag with more U.S. currency, a bag containing three plastic bags of capped needles, which police believed to be drug paraphernalia used to ingest heroin, and three weapons including a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, a black folding knife and multiple gun magazines, the complaint stated.

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