KYW Flashback: The Johnston Gang Terrorizes Chester County
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- For nearly two decades, the Johnston gang terrorized southern Chester County.
KYW was on the scene in 1972 after a gang member shot two Kennett Square policemen to death outside the station house. In March of 1980, KYW reported that the ringleaders, Norman and Bruce Johnston were finally going to jail for life.
In the early seventies, the brothers and a loosely knit band of buddies in rural Chester County were notorious crooks. They specialized in stealing lawn tractors, sports equipment and anything that could be converted to cash.
Before the end came, they turned deadly, killing cronies, even emptying a gun into Bruce Johnston, Jr. who believed his father had assaulted his girlfriend. The girlfriend died in a fierce shooting rampage, but Bruce, Jr. lived to testify against his father in a series of murders and thefts.
After nearly 20 years behind bars, KYW reported that Norman Johnston had escaped. But, that's another story.