COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A Lincoln Square man flashed a BB gun and pretended to be a police officer during a warranty dispute at an auto shop, prosecutors said Monday.
When police arrested Raiz Samjoo, 24, later that day, he was carrying handcuffs, several handcuff keys, a replica Smith & Wesson gun and two LED car lights, court records show.
At the time of the incident, Samjoo was free on bond for an aggravated unlawful use of a weapon case in Skokie. In that case, prosecutors allege Samjoo had a very real gun with 10 real bullets.
Samjoo had work done on his car at Auto Sound Barrier, 5157 N. Western Ave., about 1½ years ago, Assistant State's Attorney Erin Antonietti said during a bond hearing Monday.
Samjoo headed to the shop about 3:20 p.m. Saturday to address an issue that he believed was covered by his warranty, prosecutors said.
But Anas Fouad, who runs the stereo-installation shop with his family, said in an interview Monday the problem did not fall under Samjoo's warranty.
"He flipped out, and he showed his [replica] gun," Fouad said. "He threatened to be a police officer ... so we called the police, and he runs away."
According to Antonietti, Samjoo lifted his shirt to reveal a belt with a holstered BB gun that appeared to be real. He told the auto-shop employees at least twice that he was a police officer, Antonietti said, and left behind a receipt with his contact information.
When police arrested Samjoo about 8:20 p.m. that day, he admitted to lifting his shirt and revealing the holster to imply he was an officer, according to an arrest report.
Samjoo, of the 5400 block of North Artesian Avenue, was charged with impersonating a police officer and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Samjoo's public defender said Samjoo worked as a security guard for the last four years.
Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. on Monday set bail at $250,000 for Samjoo.
Bail in the pending Skokie case had been set by a different judge at $20,000.
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