Associated Press - November 27, 2009 4:14 AM ET

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. (AP) - Fairview Heights Police Chief Ed Delmore said there is no truth to a widely circulated e-mail cautioning St. Clair Square shoppers that gang members are attacking mall patrons as part of their initiation.

Delmore says an off-duty Lebanon police officer mentioned in the e-mail told Fairview investigators he was attacked, but declined to file a police report and could not provide details of the crime.

Delmore says police have not received any reports of such attacks at the mall, and noted that Fairview Heights has historically had few reports of violent crimes.

Delmore said the reach of the e-mail was extensive; recipients in the metro-east included employees of the Gateway Center in Collinsville, Southwestern Illinois College and the (Belleville) News-Democrat.

Information from: Belleville News-Democrat, http://www.bnd.com

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