Jason Bradley had allegedly just robbed a Lombard bank by strapping fireworks to his body and pretending it was a bomb when investigators say he texted a photo of the stolen cash to his wife, along with a seemingly exasperated note.
“Nobody has been looking for me?” the text read, according to federal charges unveiled Tuesday. “Nothing? Wtf.” His wife replied with a shrug emoji.
But it turns out the FBI not only was looking for Bradley, they’d traced his car to his home in west suburban Villa Park, where they had him under surveillance for hours. Bradley was arrested as he stepped out on the front porch to smoke a cigarette, according to a nine-page criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court.
The FBI alleges Jason Bradley, of Villa Park, texted this photo to his wife of the cash he’d robbed from the West Suburban Bank branch in Lombard on Oct. 4, 2021, and asked if anyone was looking for him. (U.S. District Court criminal complaint)
Bradley, 37, was charged with one count of bank robbery stemming from the Monday afternoon heist at the West Suburban Bank branch in Lombard.
Prosecutors on Tuesday argued Bradley is a flight risk and a danger to the community and should be held without bond, court records show. U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Cox scheduled a detention hearing for Thursday afternoon.
Bradley’s court-appointed attorney had no comment.
According to the complaint, Bradley walked into the bank on North Main Street shortly after 1 p.m. Monday wearing a face mask and a sweatshirt concealing fireworks that had been duct-taped to his body to look like a bomb.
Bradley could be seen in surveillance footage as he approached the counter, unzipped his sweatshirt and passed a note to the teller reading, “I need everything from your drawer or WE ALL DIE!!!” according to the complaint.
The teller handed over $800 in cash and sounded a silent alarm. Bradley fled in a Chevrolet Cruze that was registered in his name, the complaint alleged.
Security footage allegedly captured Jason Bradley, of Villa Park, robbing the West Suburban Bank branch in Lombard on Oct. 4, 2021, with fireworks strapped to his body to look like a bomb. (U.S. District Court criminal complaint)
Within an hour, agents were conducting surveillance on Bradley’s home in the 300 block of Mission Avenue in Villa Park, where they saw him arrive about 4:30 p.m. on foot wearing the same shirt and jeans the robber had been wearing, according to the charges.
When he was arrested two hours later, Bradley had $747 on him, the charges said.
Bradley’s wife, meanwhile, told law enforcement that Bradley had called her about 5:45 p.m. Monday and stated he robbed a bank by strapping fireworks to his chest and that he’d ditched his car in Elmhurst, the complaint alleged. He then texted her the picture of himself holding a handful of cash, which his wife provided to law enforcement.
Bradley’s wife, who is the sole owner of the home, gave consent to a search, which turned up the red T-shirt Bradley had been wearing in the surveillance footage as well as empty fireworks wrappers and a roll of duct tape.
Bradley’s car was later found parked in the 100 block of North Walnut Street in Elmhurst, the complaint stated.
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
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