Two individuals were arrested following a residential burglary in Grayslake where over $1,000 worth of electronics, including a gaming laptop and a PlayStation 5, were stolen. Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen McConnell reported that the victims came to the Grayslake Police Department on March 28 to report the break-in that occurred while the house was unoccupied.
Though no sign of forced entry was evident in the main house, the locked bedroom door had been forced open. The victim’s son, Robert J. Kozlov, 36, of Lake Villa, was suspected of being involved. The mother had previously given Kozlov money earlier in the day, but after he persisted in asking for more, she became suspicious.
Kozlov, who had previously lived in the house but no longer did, had been at the residence earlier in the day looking for money. Officers canvassing the neighborhood obtained surveillance footage showing a black Toyota Corolla arriving at the house at 6:22 p.m. Two males exited the car and were later seen running away from the residence holding stolen items.
Investigators recognized one of the suspects as Michael Y. Drees, 20, of Grayslake. Drees was located by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office on April 13, where he confessed to the burglary. He stated that he and Kozlov entered through an unlocked side door that Kozlov had left open earlier. After forcibly entering the locked bedroom, they stole the electronics and pawned them to buy drugs.
Drees was arrested and immediately confessed to the crime. Kozlov was also arrested at the time but was not interviewed due to appearing disoriented. Both men face charges of residential burglary and theft over $500. Kozlov, already on probation for reckless driving, has a criminal history, while Drees was previously convicted of felony charges in 2022 for threatening violence at Grayslake Central High School.
Both suspects were detained pending trial, with their next court appearance scheduled for May 7 for a preliminary hearing.
