A STING OPERATION IS AN EXPENSIVE UNDERTAKING, REQUIRING AN ELABORATE COVER AND LARGE QUANTITIES OF FRONT MONEY. LEAA STING GRANTS COULD NOT BE USED IN ROCKFORD, BECAUSE THE REQUIREMENT THAT ALL TRANSACTIONS OF STOLEN GOODS BE VIDEOTAPED SURREPTITIOUSLY CONFLICTS WITH ILLINOIS EAVESDROPPING STATUTES. THE ROCKFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT OBTAINED FUNDING FROM THE LOCAL KIWANIS CLUB AND SET UP A SHABBY PAWN SHOP IN AN INNER-CITY NEIGHBORHOOD. THE SHOP WAS STAFFED BY AN UNDERCOVER OFFICER POSING AS A FENCE, AND A SECOND OFFICER WHO SURREPTITIOUSLY OBSERVED AND PHOTOGRAPHED EACH TRANSACTION. A POLICE DOG, GUARDED THE DOOR BEHIND WHICH THE SECOND OFFICER WORKED. THE EXPERIENCES OF THE UNDERCOVER TEAM IN BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROFESSIONAL BURGLARS AND IN MAINTAINING THEIR COVER IN THE PRESENCE OF OTHER POLICE OFFICERS WHO KNEW NOTHING OF THE STING OPERATION ARE RECOUNTED. AFTER 3 MONTHS THE FRONT MONEY HAD DWINDLED TO $800, AND THE FENCE TEAM HAD STRONG CASES AGAINST 27 CAREER BURGLARS. RATHER THAN HOLDING A 'SURPRISE PARTY' TO ROUND UP THE SUSPECTS, AS IS COMMON PRACTICE WITH STING OPERATIONS, THE ROCKFORD DEPARTMENT ASSIGNED 27 SEPARATE 3-OFFICER ARREST TEAMS TO BRING IN ALL SUSPECTS IN ONE NIGHT. TWENTY OF THE SUSPECTS WERE PICKED UP IMMEDIATELY, AND THE REMAINING SEVEN TURNED THEMSELVES IN WITHIN 2 WEEKS. THERE WAS A 100-PERCENT CONVICTION RATE FOR THE STING ARRESTS. NEARLY ALL OF THE ACCUSED PLED GUILTY. THE LOCAL BURGLARY RATE DECLINED FROM 3,383 BURGLARIES IN THE 9 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE STING OPERATION TO 1,715 IN THE 9 MONTHS AFTER THE STING. (LKM)