Criminals turning to two way radios

There appears to be a new trend among criminals in Tulsa. They're using two-way radios. <br><br>Often a suspect will break into a building, while talking over the two-way with a get-away driver outside,

Wednesday, November 20th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

There appears to be a new trend among criminals in Tulsa. They're using two-way radios.

Often a suspect will break into a building, while talking over the two-way with a get-away driver outside, to make sure the coast is clear. Tulsa Police say the men who broke into a Med-X store Tuesday used the radios, but it didn't help. 44-year-old Lawrence Tankersley was arrested.

Detectives recently caught a group of shoplifters using two-way's to keep track of security guards. And, a team of home invasion robbers used them last month.

Police say new technology often forces police to play catch up. Tulsa Police officer Andy Philips, "It's like the Internet, whoever thought we'd have to track down criminals on the Internet. These things create new challenges for police department."

Even the East Coast snipers used two-way radios. They told police while one was in the trunk of the car, taking aim, the driver could tell him whether traffic was light enough to take the shot.