Fake Cicero cops steal cars from Chicago family

June 30, 2006

BY ANNIE SWEENEY Crime Reporter





Three men posing as Cicero police officers broke into a Northwest Side home early Thursday and stole two vehicles and identifications from a family of six, police said.

Chicago Police are investigating why the trio posed as officers and took only vehicles, a 1997 blue Grand Cherokee and a 1995 yellow Ford Ranger pickup.

The men were wearing black vests emblazoned with the words "Cicero Police" in white lettering, black baseball caps that said "police" and duty belts, said Monique Bond, a Chicago Police spokeswoman. They were also carrying guns.

When the offenders arrived at the house at 12:45 a.m., in the 2500 block of North Hamlin, they came to the first floor apartment and announced they had a search warrant and were looking for drugs, Bond said. They herded the family into two rooms and demanded the car keys.

Two offenders left while one held the group at gunpoint. The other offenders then returned to collect IDs, telling the family they had to check their names, Bond said. No one was hurt in the incident.

Cicero Police took an inventory of all their equipment and none is missing, said department spokesman Dan Proft. Proft said based on the description of the equipment in the Chicago Police reports, the gear does not sound authentic.

The building's landlord said the family has only lived in the apartment for two weeks.

asweeney@suntimes.com