Storage of drugs leads to plan to rid Chicago courthouse of phone lockers - The politically connected locker firm who drop big bribe money to seal the deal cries foul!

Public storage lockers are going to be removed from the Leighton Criminal Court Building and suburban Cook County courthouses because, in part, people have been storing drugs there, authorities said.

The lockers are being abused and present their own security problems "as courthouse patrons have placed contraband in them, placing staff members at risk when they engage the individuals about the illegal items," according to a statement from Chief Judge Tim Evans' office.

The lockers were in the spotlight in 2013 after a ban took effect on smartphones, computer tablets and other electronic devices at the 26th Street and California Avenue courthouse — the busiest in the country. The free storage lockers have offered members of the public doing business at the courthouse a place to temporarily stash those banned items.

But some people were storing illegal drugs in courthouse lockers, according to Pat Milhizer, a spokesman for the chief judge's office.

CLICK FOR MORE