Charges filed in Franklin home invasion, and suspect was already in custody for similar crime

FRANKLIN (WITI) -- Charges were filed on Monday, March 16th against 34-year-old Scott Vukovic of Milwaukee in connection with a home invasion that took place in Franklin at the end of January. He was already in custody for a similar crime in St. Francis.

Scott Vukovic

The crime in Franklin happened on Monday, January 26th just after 3 a.m. near 117th and Oakwood Road. Police say Vukovic entered the 83-year-old victim’s home through an unlocked door — demanding money, prescription medication and alcohol. He ransacked the home, police say — pushing the victim down several times when he did not get what he wanted.

"At one point, putting his arm around her neck, threatening her and pushed her down several times causing injuries," Franklin Police Chief Rick Oliva said.

A criminal complaint says Vukovic took $50 from the victim's purse and a bottle of vicodin. When he couldn't find any more money or drugs, he got angry, and began breaking things in the home. At one point, police say Vukovic threatened to burn the victim's home down -- lighting a match and dropping it on the dining room floor.

After police say Vukovic threatened to throw a table through the front window if the victim didn't tell him where more money was, the victim alerted Vukovic to more money in a freezer. From the freezer, police say Vukovic retrieved $250-$350.

Police say Vukovic found a .22 caliber rifle in the victim's son's bedroom, and he made the victim walk outside with him.

The victim was able to get away from the suspect when police say Vukovic returned to the home to load up more of her belongings. He intended to steal the victim’s vehicle, along with safes, coins and two bottles of alcohol.

"He made several trips inside the house to the outside.  He loaded the victim`s car up with her property," Chief Oliva said.

When Vukovic went back inside, the complaint says the victim got into her vehicle and drove to the Franklin Police Department.

On March 6th, Franklin police made a positive DNA match of evidence collected at the crime scene with a suspect in custody (Vukovic) by the St. Francis Police Department for a home invasion robbery in that city.

"Our crime scene technician did a very good job gathering evidence at our crime scene and was able to match some items that had DNA," Chief Oliva said.

Vukovic has been charged with burglary (home invasion), false imprisonment and aggravated battery in the Franklin case. He's been charged with armed robbery and burglary in the St. Francis case.

The St. Francis incident occurred on January 1st at a home on E. St. Francis Street.

The victim had just gone into the Box Car Inn, but she realized she left her ID in her car. When she headed back to her car, she was approached by Vukovic, who demanded money at gunpoint, police say.

Police say Vukovic put the gun to the victim's head and cocked it. She handed him $5, and he demanded more money and the keys to her car.

The complaint indicates Vukovic started going through the victim's pockets before telling her to "get out of here." Vukovic drove off in the victim's vehicle, police say.

The victim went into the Box Car Inn and told her boyfriend what happened. Police say her boyfriend got into a vehicle and followed the Vukovic, who was driving the victim's vehicle. The victim's boyfriend called 911.

Police say the victim's boyfriend called 911 later and reported the vehicle had been located on E. Potter Street in Bay View.

That vehicle was processed for fingerprints and DNA. That DNA was found to belong to Vukovic.

A criminal complaint issued in connection with what happened on January 1st in St. Francis says on January 22nd, police were dispatched to a home on E. Elizabeth Avenue in St. Francis for a garage burglary. There, they spoke with a man who reported his garage had been entered and $500 worth of frozen meat had been taken from his freezer. In addition, the man reported his tool box and his wife's vehicle had been entered and ransacked.

A hammer was found inside the garage that did not belong to the homeowner.

"Someone broke into our garage and all our meat is gone. What kind of person only steals meat? I felt like I was in CSI!" homeowner Jeanne Bell said.

That hammer was analyzed for DNA, and Vukovic's DNA was found on it.