Chester mayor's wife carjacked at gunpoint

Chester Mayor John Linder's wife was carjacked at gunpoint last night, exactly one week after officials - including Mayor Linder - announced a plan to flood Chester's streets with additional police power in the wake of growing violence.

Deana Linder, 67, had just parked her gold Ford Taurus in front of her home on Reaney Street near 4th at around 10 p.m. when three men, one of whom pointed a handgun at her head, demanded she get out of the car, said Summer Freeman, city spokeswoman.

As the men got into her car, Deana Linder ran and banged on her front door. Her husband answered as the men were speeding away, Freeman said.

Within the hour, police K-9 units were able to track the men to their home, where they were all taken in custody. Freeman said the car was recovered but police have not yet found the handgun.

As of right now, the incident is believed to be random in nature, Freeman said.

Just last Wednesday, Linder, along with county, state and federal officials, announced "Operation City Surge," a plan to put additional resources, including state and SEPTA police, in Chester to stem the growing violence.

The city of just 34,000 people has already had 11 homicides this year, which is double the number of murders at this time last year.

"This is not going to deter anything," Freeman said of last night's incident. "If anything, this punctuates the reason why they're there."