Arson, Bomb Threats Among Crimes That Have Been Keeping Illinois Unemployment Offices Closed, Governor's Office Says
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Arsons, bomb threats, and vandalism – we have been asking for months, and now for the first time, we are learning about the crimes keeping Illinois unemployment offices closed.
Jordan Abudayyeh, press secretary for Gov. JB Pritzker's office, said in a statement that more two dozen "significant incidents" have been investigated at 12 Illinois unemployment offices in every region of the state since March 2020.
They include acts of arson, vandalism, and bomb threats, "among other acts of violence," Abudayyeh wrote.
"Individuals have also shown up at IDES employees' private residences threatening physical violence. This is in addition to countless threats made over phone, via email, and mail throughout the pandemic," Abudayyeh wrote. "Due to the pending investigations IDES is not able to share specific information."
On Tuesday, CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov asked Pritzker when the offices will finally reopen.
"Shortly. As you know, we've had about 60 percent of our staff are completely back to work," Pritzker said. "We've got the State Police assisting the agency to make sure that we're doing it in the right way."
When the offices do reopen later this summer, security will be tightened and people will need to make an appointment.