West Side Story comes to road service in Illinois. In an unusual story, road service tow company rivals added Molotov cocktails into the mix of an ongoing turf war.

“Charges are pending against three south suburban men who were caught tossing Molotov cocktails from their car window along Cicero Avenue in Alsip.

The homemade bombs were intended to settle the score in an ongoing turf war between two competing Southwest Side towing companies. The men told police they planned to use them to blow up a rival’s tow truck, according to Alsip Police Chief Bob Troy.

Officers began tailing a Lexus sedan driving suspiciously about 4 a.m. Sunday after getting a tip from a family member that the men were up to no good.

Mike Ashkar — a cousin who works for the rival towing company — called police after spotting the men in front of his Alsip home.

Ashkar suspected the men were there to finish a fist fight that was broken up by family members late the night before. But he had no idea their plans were so sinister — to detonate a tow truck he had parked next to his house.

“We knew maybe they were going to try to do something,” Ashkar said. “We didn’t know it would (involve) bombs.”
(source)