ERRI DAILY INTELLIGENCE REPORT-ERRI Risk Assessment Services-Saturday, August 16, 1997 Vol. 3 - 228
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THEFT RING OPERATING AT
O'HARE AIRPORT
By Steve Macko, ERRI Risk
Analyst
CHICAGO (EmergencyNet News) - Airline passengers are be put on alert because of a South American theft ring that stages distractions at security checkpoints and concessions areas has hit O'Hare Airport at least ten times in the last two weeks. Police said that suspects will drop coins, spill drinks and stage arguments over baggage to act as diversions, but the most frequent ruse is to trigger metal detectors deliberately at security checkpoints.
One member of the ring will stuff enough change or keys into pockets to ensure being sent back through the metal detector. A bottleneck is created and by the time passengers behind the ring member pass through, their valuables have been snatched by a ring member on the other side.
Five men believed to be linked to a sophisticated "gang of South American thieves operating across the country" have been arrested in the last two weeks in connection with O'Hare thefts that began 26 July and continued through 8 August. All five are believed to be using aliases.
Police said the five are part of a sophisticated ring of jewelry thieves that originated in Colombia about ten years ago. That ring was known to follow couriers from jewelry houses and hotels to other locations, including big-city airports throughout the United States.
CPD Lt. Neal Sullivan of the O'Hare police unit said, "It's the same method of operation -- the same training. Across the country, intelligence has shown they literally go to school for this."
Travelers at O'Hare International Airport, the world's busiest, are being warned: "Don't put your bags down on the conveyor belt until you're about to go through yourself. And if you happen to set it off and have to go back through again, grab your bags and send them through a second time so you always have your eye on them."
During the last 2 1/2 weeks, at least 20 thefts have been reported by passengers moving through O'Hare's four passenger terminals. Ten are known to be the work of the South American ring. CPD Tactical officers working undercover caught three different teams totaling five people stealing valuables, but team members who caused the distractions got away.
Lt. Sullivan advised passengers to keep to themselves and for the time being at least, avoid being good Samaritans. "It's nice to be a charitable person, but these individuals are very cagey."
(c) Copyright, EmergencyNet NEWS Service, 1997. All Rights Reserved. Redistribution without permission is prohibited by law.
The ERRI DAILY INTELLIGENCE REPORT is a subscription publication of the EmergencyNet NEWS Service, which is a part of the Chicago-based Emergency Response and Research Institute. This publication specializes in Corporate Security/Terrorism/Intelligence/Military and National Security issues.
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