Chicago,Il. (ENN)-- Chicago gang crime specialists are reporting
that members of the "Crips" street gang, from the Los angeles
area, are attempting to take control of at least one
neighborhood here. Police insiders say that several recent
raids have revealed a "new and different type of criminal
element" on Chicago's West side.
A recent arest of a burglar, on Chicago's West side, resulted
in his revealing to police the location of a cache' of
automatic weapons and military fragmentation grenades. Also
confiscated was a quantity of liquid PCP (Angel Dust/Animal
tranquilizer). Reportedly, the weapons and drugs belonged to
a member of the Los Angeles based "Crips" street gang. A
Chicago Police intelligence officer, who asked to remain
anonymous, reported that an increase in the quality and
quantity of "rock cocaine" or "crack" can be attributed
to an "invasion from the West Coast". Chicago Police had
previously reported that there was very little "crack"
available for sale in Chicago.
"Street people" in certain West side neighborhoods have
confided that "there are bloods from out of town" who have
attempted to intimidate and control given areas where drugs
are sold. Several recent outbursts of violence and "drive-by"
shooting have reportedly been perpetrated by unknown "gang
types", who are not associated with any known Chicago gang.
One friendly neighborhood resident told this reporter, "them
brothers is from LA-LA land...you know... out West". "They's
bad boys...that group...they kill you soon as look at you",
he concluded.
A recent raid called "Operation Hammerlock", which was
carried out against members of the Chicago "Vice Lords"
street gang resulted in the arest of more than sixty (60)
youths and adults and confiscation of numerous cars, houses,
and weapons. This raid resulted in the further fragmentation
of traditional control of neighborhood "retail drug sales".
At least one Chicago intelligence analyst has hypothesized
that the decline of certain Chicago gangs has lead to the
a void that is being filled by Los Angeles based gangs.
He points out that many Chicago street gangs were frequently
a "loosely affiliated relationship of convenience and
self defense" and that they were under no centralized
authority. "The Crips are another matter entirely...they are
ruthless and will stop at nothing to conduct their business",
he offered. "We can expect the level of violence to increase
even further...if `the Crips' continue their effort to
control Chicago's market in drugs and weapons", the wary
expert added. "If I lived in Iowa City, or Boise, or Kansas
City, I would also be extremely worried...the gangs will be
there soon", he concluded.
(c) EmergencyNet News Service, 1991, All rights Reserved.
* SPECIAL-TO LOS ANGELES TIMES-11/12/91-1700 CST *
LOS ANGELES GANG ATTEMPTS TO TAKE OVER CHICAGO STREETS
By Clark Staten, ENN Editor
Emergency Response & Research Institute