Evening star., 1957-04-19
Police
Kill ; Burglars
In Store Battle

CHICAGO. April 10 R.-
Three burglars were shot to
death early today In q quick and
violent gun battle with seven
detectives as they prepared to
break open q State street de-
partment store vault containing
an estimated $250.000.
The gunmen. including a for
mer policeman. walked into a
police trap in Mandel Brothers
store and were moved down by
police machine gun and shotgun
bullets.
The detectives. who had been
hiding in the llth floor credit
department for seven hours after
receiving q tip on the planned
burglary, escaped unhurt.
1t. James j. Lynch said the
three gunner. carrying burglary
tools, were about to attempt tc
open a safe when the detectives
ordered them to surrender.
Safe Not Opened
Inside the wall safe, said Will
liam Touhy, deputy chief of de-
tectives. was approximately
$250.000" in currency. But the
gunmen did not get a chance tc
attempt to open 1t.
1t. Lynch said the burglars
opened fire. The police. armed
with three machine guns and
four shotguns. exchanged shots
killing all three.
1t. Lynch identified two of the
men as having been arrested
previously. He said one of them
Jimmy Rentner, so. had been re-
leased on bond recently on q
robbery charge. He said James
Wulf. %. also had been arrested
several times. The third man wa:
identified as James Betimio
Wulf lived in suburban Glencoe
and the other two in Chicago
Policemen Unhurt
| In the exchange of gunfire nc
policemen were hurt.
/ Police said Bertimio and Wuli
carried .45-caliber revolvers and
Renter was armed with a 49,
caliber revolver. All three wore
gloves.
| Bertimio repeatedly was carry
ing a small portable radio which
he had tuned to pick up police
broadcaSts.
There was no evidence of q
forced entry to the store. officers
said the three men could have
hidden in the big store after II
closed. The victims approached
the safe. police reported. from
a storeroom filled with cartons
where they may have hidden.
! Clustered near q safe, police
found oxygen tanks, cutting
torches and other tools. A gray
leather suitcase which may have
been intended to carry loot was
nearby. ofncers said.
The walls. ceiling and furnish
ings in the office were riddled
with bullet holes from the in
tense barrage.
When the three burglars en-
tered the credit department.
about 1880 a.m.-they passed
without noticing four detectives
who we're crouched in q dark
corner.
They went directly to a safe
behind the cashiers cage and
Sergt. James O'Neill said he fired
q warning blast above the
burglars heads. The spray OF
bullets knocked out the light
over the wall safe.
| The trapped men then. said
Sergt. O'Neill. returned fire after
he had shouted "policel"
| Bullet Sets on Alarm
"Hit the dirt" Sergt ONeill
commanded the other detectives
when the burglars started shoot
ing.
I The policemen, however, kept
up their firing at the cornered
thieves One bullet split q burg
Jar alarm wire and set of the
alarm
Police said Rentner's gun was
emptied while two rounds had
been fired from Bertimio's weap-
on. They identified Rentner as
a former policeman in suburban
haywood. who had been asked
to resign last year.
Police said Rentner was under
$4,000 bond on a burglary and
a larceny charge in connection
with the burglary of 81 sf1fl worth