Following Theft, DA Warns Weapons Burglaries Are 'Growing Trend'
PARKER, Colo. (CBS4) - When thieves broke into Pony Express Firearms on Parker Road this weekend, police say they shattered two glass windows at the front of the store.
A surveillance camera caught only the suspect's hands early Saturday morning reaching through security bars and grabbing four long rifles.
Police say the burglars got away with two AK-47 rifles, one AR-15 rifle, and one shotgun.
The theft is the most recent in a string of similar burglaries, says George Brauchler, district attorney for the 18th Judicial District, covering Douglas County.
"Over the summer, we had three separate gun store burglaries out of the Littleton area," Brauchler said. "We've also seen in a very short period of time seven different pawn shop burglaries. Then we had this latest one out of Parker. It's a growing trend. It's a big concern."
In all, investigators have said dozens of weapons, mostly firearms, have been stolen. Semi-automatic assault rifles, like the AK-47 and AR-15, seem to be the most often targeted, Brauchler said, because they are thought to fetch the most money on the black market. Investigators are now looking into whether the incidents are connected.
"The greatest concern we have with stolen weapons is the act of stealing them defeats all of the other legal safeguards we have in place," Brauchler said, listing background check requirements and laws that prevent convicted felons from possessing firearms.
"All of that gets defeated when weapons are stolen, and then those people that steal the guns can turn around and sell them to the very people who we don't want to have them to begin with. It's a huge concern."
It is difficult to know how many times a stolen gun is used in the perpetration of a crime, according to Brauchler, often times because gun owners do not document the firearm's serial number. In Saturday's burglary in Parker, it's unclear whether investigators will be able to track the weapons using such numbers.
While gun dealers are provided with a set of recommendations for protecting their businesses and preventing theft, there are no legal requirements or regulations governing the security of a gun store, says Lisa Meiman, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Colorado. Because there are no laws on how owners secure their businesses, it is also not part of an ATF audit, she says.
General guidelines include finding ways to secure weapons after business hours that would not work to entice thieves, like locking them in a safe that is not visible through windows and using cables to lock firearms to a display or each other. Brauchler suggests owners seek advice from law enforcement.
"And consult someone called 'Mr. Common Sense,' in some cases,'" he said. "And that is to put weapons in a location where they cannot be easily stolen by breaking through glass, where they lack the entire firing pin or the bolt mechanism, something that makes them less valuable and less functional."
Lauren DiSpirito reports for CBS4 News at 10 p.m. She covers breaking news and feature stories along Colorado's Front Range. Follow her on Twitter @CBS4Lauren. Share your story ideas with her here.
