Huge Weapons Cache Raided in Antioch

Submachine guns, tear gas, one spiked baseball bat, and so much more

Boom goes the crazy Nazi dynamite.

Machine guns, Nazi paraphernalia, manuals and chemicals to make explosives, drugs, cash and one live rocket launcher were found by police during a raid of an Antioch home yesterday, according to several reports.

Burl Thomas, 56, and John Thomas, 24, both of the 25000 block of West Linden Lane, were arrested after a police search of their home.

The doomsday cache included the following:

25 firearms, two TEC-9 semi-automatic pistols and an SKS assault rifle; an AT4 Marine Corps rocket launcher; numerous chemicals used to make explosives and detonating devices; tear gas; brass knuckles; a battlefield illuminator used by military helicopters at night; several baseball bats including one with spikes all over it; knives; machetes; multiple manuals about how to make explosives, land mines, silencers, improvised munitions and more.

The men are expected to appear in court this morning.

About 400 grams of marijuana, 1½ ounces of cocaine and about $1,000 in cash was also found in the home.

The son has prior convictions for aggravated assault, battery, disorderly conduct and a hate crime.

A neighbor who did not want to be identified told the Tribune that he watched from his window as police pulled up at the house Wednesday night.

"It was just like on TV," he said. "The door to the truck opened up, cops ran out and yelled, 'go, go, go.' Then they busted in the door and threw gas cans inside."

Contact Us