Law enforcement officials from coast to coast say street gangs are shying away from wearing their colors and are covering up or even altering their tattoos to avoid detection by police.
Hartford, Connecticut, Police Sgt. Johnmichael O’Hare says gone are the days when the Bloods wore red from head to toe. All you’ll see now, he says, is maybe a red handkerchief sticking out of a back pocket.
Police say gangs have learned from past mistakes and are responding to stronger laws. Authorities say gang members also want to avoid more restrictive prison conditions imposed on gang members.
Los Angeles Detective William Nunn says there’s another reason gangs aren’t so flashy these days — they’re committing more credit card and identity theft crimes and don’t want to be easily identified.
