Last month, the US Attorney's office announced roundups of alleged members of the H Block and Mission Hill gangs.

The alleged associates of the H Block gang, based on the streets north of Franklin Park, were charged with the sort of gun- and drug-related offenses you'd expect. But their Mission Hill counterparts - based at the Mission Main and Annunciation Road projects - were charged with a different kind of crime with which to support their own violent warring: Heading out into wealthy suburbs and stealing large amounts of mail which they'd rifle for checks, so they could "wash" them with chemicals and make out checks in large amounts to themselves or accomplices. Read more.