Great to read this in my local paper... I did some internet searching -I did not see if they were related to that MS 13 (?), but who knows. Why can't my town cut a break? Something will happen. I posted in another topic that in our daily comment page in newspaper there are now almost daily bits against illegal immigration.



MONDAY AUGUST 14, 2006 Last modified: Sunday, August 13, 2006 6:54 PM CDT

New gang raises concern

By MATT PERA, mpera@nwnewsgroup.com

Waukegan - Alderman Sam Cunningham, 1st Ward, has seen a growing trend on the south side that he said he wants quashed soon.

At the Aug. 7 city council meeting, he said graffiti promoting, "Sur 13," a gang that is new to the area, was getting worse and more intrusive.

"Really, what was more disturbing was to see that [gang members] have defaced cemeteries, churches, places children go to play in," he said.

Police Chief William Biang said his department had stepped up efforts to get members of Sur 13, along with other gangs, off the streets.

He said Sur 13 was a "fast growing group of gang members, mostly young Latinos."

"It's a gang that started in California and Mexico and one that has caused us the most problems in the very recent past," Biang said. "We're working toward getting [the graffiti] removed, the faster the better. The gang unit and the whole department has been advised and ordered to make this a priority of the entire department."

Biang said the department was working with the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate gang activity.

If the gang members are illegal immigrants, he said, police are working to have them deported after they are arrested.

Biang also told the city council that police had recently arrested a gang member who was wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a Russian assault rifle with 300 rounds of ammunition. The suspect, whose name was not available as of press time, is currently in Lake County Jail and will likely face federal charges, Biang said.

The police chief also pointed out that, of the 10 largest cities in Illinois, Waukegan had the lowest crime rate, which he attributed in part to the department's proactive stance against gang activity.

With kids going back to school later this month, Alderman Greg Moisio, 3rd Ward, added that another way to curtail gang activity would be through after school athletic programs, which currently are not available at the elementary and middle school levels.

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