Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 6 March 2017

American Living:

Gangs reap guns from trains in violent Chicago neighborhoods

Scafidi, an ex-FBI agent details.
MICHAEL TARM and spokesman for the No arrests have been an-
Associated Press National Insurance Crime nounced in the Septem-
CHICAGO (AP) — When Bureau. He said railways ber 2016 theft or the one
street-gang thieves slipped weigh costs such as new in 2014, when 13 military-
with ease into a Norfolk fencing against the odds style semi-automatic rifles
Southern rail yard on Chi- thieves will “win the lottery” were stolen.Such boxcar
cago’s South Side and and pick the one boxcar burglaries have happened
ripped locks off one train, out of thousands with guns. elsewhere, including of 100
they likely expected to see “They are willing to take assault rifles from a train in
merchandise like toys or the risk,” Scafidi said. Atlanta in 2012. But the fre-
tennis shoes. What they be- Outside his church, Pas- quency in Chicago stands
held instead was a gang- tor Brooks tugs on razor out, and it has a lot to do
ster’s jackpot: box after wire that was once strung with the city’s role as the
box of brand new guns. atop a fence separating nation’s freight-rail hub.
The guns had been en a church basketball court One shipping-industry ad-
route from New Hamp- In this Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, photo, Pastor Corey Brooks of the from the yard. It has long age goes: “Cargo at rest is
New Beginnings Church poses for a portrait on a under main-
shire weapon maker Sturm, tained security wall that hugs the sprawling Norfolk Southern since rusted and large- cargo at risk.” And in Chi-
Ruger & Co. to Spokane, train yard and his church on Chicago’s South Side. When street- ly fallen away. Children cago, because of track
Washington. Instead, the gang thieves slipped into a Norfolk Southern rail yard on Chi- climb the fence effortlessly congestion, cargo is often
.45-caliber Ruger revolvers cago’s South Side and ripped locks off one train, they likely ex- to fetch balls that go over. at rest. Some 500 freight
and other firearms spread pected to see merchandise like toys or tennis shoes. What they After the theft of some 30 trains vie daily for limited
quickly into surrounding beheld instead was a gangster’s jackpot: box after box of brand guns in September, sev- track access, leaving some
new guns.
high-crime neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) eral posts on Brooks’ Face- waiting for days — and
Along with two other ma- book page asked: Would making them easy targets.
jor gun thefts within three there be more urgency if Some gangs treat rail
years, the robbery helped ing to hundreds of recent as he ripped open boxes of the yard was in an affluent yards as if they are shop-
fuel a wave of violence on court records reviewed by guns: “Oh man!” he says. area? ping malls.Suspects in the
Chicago’s streets. The Associated Press. One “These ... are pretty!” South Side Aldermen Pat 2015 theft stole from trains
The 2015 heist of the 111 was used in a Jan. 22, 2016, Residents near the yard are Dowell introduced a City “on a regular basis,” say
guns, as well as one in 2014 shooting. Police woke an angry that the multibillion- Council resolution after filings. They describe the
and another last Septem- attempted-murder suspect dollar railroad isn’t doing the 2015 theft demanding thieves circling the Nor-
ber from the same 63rd and found one by his bed. more to stop the thefts. a public safety hearing on folk Southern yard late on
Street Rail Yard highlight Another was in a dealer’s “In a place where murders the rail-yard thefts. It never April 11, 2015, hunting for
a tragic confluence. Chi- home alongside 429 bags seem to be happening ev- happened. trains to hit. Elgin “Rat”
cago’s biggest rail yards of heroin. Police recov- ery single day, the last thing Norfolk Southern spokes- Lipscomb allegedly told
are on the gang- and ho- ered another during a traf- we need in Chicago is a woman Susan Terpay said his cohorts, including Alex-
micide-plagued South and fic stop; the driver said his rail yard with guns being in an email to the AP that ander “A-Dog” Peebles,
West sides where most of friend had just been shot 10 stolen,” said Corey Brooks, it was “mutually agreed” “We going to make some
the city’s 762 killings hap- times and he had to pro- pastor of the New Begin- with aldermen to focus on money today.”The train
pened last year. tect himself. “It’s a war go- nings Church that hugs the investigations rather than with guns stopped at 1:20
Chicago’s leaders regu- ing on over here,” he told yard.Thomas Ahern, a Bu- disclosing “specific (se- a.m. The thieves belonged
larly blame lax gun laws in police. reau of Alcohol, Tobacco, curity) techniques” that to two gangs and teamed
Illinois and nearby states On the night of the theft, Firearms and Explosives could aid thieves. Dow- up only after running into
that enable a flow of ille- gang members found and agent in Chicago until his ell’s spokesman said she each other in the yard be-
gal weapons to the city’s kept a shipment of wom- recent retirement, called wouldn’t answer questions cause they couldn’t whisk
gangs and criminals. But en’s sandals, according to the thefts “a serious (secu- on the yard: “We’re focus- enough guns away alone.
community leaders and filings in the federal case rity) breakdown that needs ing her time on other things A railway worker discov-
security experts say no one of seven suspects arrested to be addressed.” now,” Kevin Lampe said. ered the theft at 7 a.m.
seems to be taking respon- later in 2015. Finding guns There’s little incentive to Terpay insisted Norfolk after spotting broken locks
sibility for train-yard gun later was luck, not an in- spend millions fortifying Southern is “doing every- and bolt cutters. Within
thefts. side job, prosecutors said. yards because railways are thing within (its) power to hours, the gangs were sell-
Only 16 of the stolen Rugers New pretrial filings describe well insured and don’t take prevent thefts,” including ing the stolen weapons,
have been recovered since one thief using expletives a big financial hit when more patrols and K-9 units. valued at around $50,000
the 2015 break-in, accord- to convey the excitement cargo is lost, said Frank She didn’t provide other in all.q