Who stole 6 CPD radios? 4 more are missing
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago police officers are being warned today to keep a close eye on their police radios.
They're being stolen at an alarming rate.
CBS 2's Shardaa Gray is always investigating and reports from the 12th District police station.
Alderman Brian Hopkins (2nd) said officers are told to treat their radios like service weapons and not let it out of their sight.
But that's exactly what happened.
Six were stolen, and four are still missing.
"We don't want them to fall into the wrong hands, and unfortunately, a few of them have."
A concern for Alderman Brian Hopkins, the head of the city council public safety committee, after six police radios were taken from different police stations. Another radio was almost stolen, but police caught the thief in the act.
"All the police officers have been reminded, do not let your radio out of your sight. Don't put it down on a desk and walk away," Hopkins said.
CBS 2 obtained an internal memo that said officers must be aware of a recent increase in police radio thefts. It happened at six different police stations.
"They've been reported at police stations themselves. Typically, they're left on a table, left on a front desk where they might be accessible. And it only takes two seconds for you to turn your back, and it disappears," Hopkins said.
Alderman Hopkins said it happened in his ward at the 18th district police station on Monday. That radio has not been recovered.
Two people were arrested at the 12th district police station after stealing a radio on September 6th. An arrest report shows a 30-year-old man jumped on the front desk counter and grabbed a CPD radio.
Several officers chased him, crossing multiple streets and placing the officers in danger of being hit by a car. He was arrested, along with a 23-year-old man accused of hitting an officer.
"We know that the police stations right now are crowded. They're often chaotic. It makes it that much harder to keep a watch on everything," Hopkins said.
He added that although some radios are still missing, they might have a solution to stop the crooks from listening.
"We do have the technology available to disable them remotely. It's not quite as simple as flipping a switch, but there are steps that can be taken in the event the radio can't be recovered if we know the serial number. There's a method out there that they can be disabled," Hopkins said.
CPD said it takes the matter seriously and that the radios are an important tool for emergency communication and public safety.
The department said it can remotely disable it.
