By AP/KWMU
East St. Louis, Ill. – East St. Louis's police chief is disputing claims that evidence stolen this week will affect cases. Chief James Mister is also refuting a claim by St. Clair County's State's Attorney Robert Haida that guns and drugs were among those stolen.
It's the third time in five years someone has stolen evidence from the East St. Louis Police Department. Haida wants Mister to detail the missing evidence by the end of the month.
But Mister says 90% of the stolen items are insignificant to pending cases. Haida had said the theft might make it harder to get convictions on some murder and violent crime cases.