New Lenox looks to tighten rules on weapon security

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Updated: February 16, 2012 8:07AM

With most of the stolen weapons unrecovered after two burglaries of the Down Range gun shop in New Lenox, the village is cracking down.

Mayor Timothy Baldermann announced Monday that police are working with the village attorney to draft a potential ordinance tightening weapon security within village limits.

“I don’t have any problem with a gun shop in town,” Police Chief Bob Sterba said. “It’s just an unacceptable situation to have guns stolen.”

Sterba said police will be looking at what other communities have done and then present ideas to the safety committee, co-chaired by Trustees David Smith and Nancy Dye.

The chief credited the owner of the gun shop for improving the shop’s security even without the ordinance.

“In regard to the owner, he is quite concerned,” Sterba said. “He is taking steps on his own.”

Elements of the potential ordinance may include locking up inventory every night, similar to a jeweler. Others may include bars on windows, alarms and limiting gun shop locations only in masonry buildings.

The mayor, a former police chief himself, repeatedly commended the police officers who responded to the burglaries. He said that they were on the scene within 90 seconds after at least one of the robberies.

In total, Sterba believes there were about 15 guns stolen, mostly pistols. Only one has been recovered, he said.

“These things get absorbed into the criminal element very quickly,” he said.

There is no date set as to when the potential ordinance will be presented to the board.