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Mob Trial Witness Says Police Brass Took Payoffs

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Mob Trial Witness Says Police Brass Took Payoffs

By John Drummond
CHICAGO (CBS) ― Some Chicago police brass took payoffs from mob burglars, according to new testimony Monday in the Family Secrets mob trial.

As CBS 2's John "Bulldog" Drummond reports, the eye-opening testimony came from Sal Romano, a dog-loving career burglar who was whisked from Federal court by the FBI.

Romano learned the tools of the burglar trade as a youngster in Chicago.

"Locks and alarms fascinated me," the now-wheelchair-bound 73-year-old said. "I'd purchase [them] and take 'em apart to see how they worked."

Romano began co-operating with the government 30 years ago and closed his career as an informant with a $40,000 bonus in 1987.

But before he went the straight and narrow he testified he paid off Chicago police through lawyer intermediaries in order to ply his trade in Chicago. He specifically named the one-time chief of detectives William Hanhardt and policemen at areas five and six.

Other than the convicted Hanhardt, Romano did not name any specific cops as wrong-doers.

Romano on Monday implicated defendant Paulie "The Indian" Schiro in burglaries and other crime in Las Vegas.

Schiro set up what was to be the perfect score according to Romano. A $50,000 haul from an Arizona home. The home, though, had one occupant: a toy dog that surprised the burglars.

"He ran out the doggie door and started barking in the back yard," Romano recalled.

Romano panicked.

"That dog is raising hell. Let's go!" he said.

Romano's colleagues wanted the loot and to have Romano dispatch the little dog.

"Why didn't you take care of the dog?" he said they asked.

"I don't do dogs," Romano allegedly replied.

The intruders fled empty-handed.

Romano himself was the target of a planned gangland assassination ordered by Las Vegas crime boss Tony Spilotro and his henchmen Frank "Far-Away Frank" Cullotta.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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