Gunsmoke Gun Shop Owner Arrested For Theft
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (CBS4)- The owner of the Gunsmoke, Inc. gun shop in Wheat Ridge has been arrested for theft from an at-risk adult.
Richard Wyatt turned himself in at the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office on Friday afternoon.
Wheat Ridge Police have been investigating Wyatt, 51, for suspicion of theft. On Thursday, an arrest warrant was issued by the Jefferson County Courts for Wyatt for theft from an at-risk adult, a felony.
The victim in the case had consigned a rare and antique gun collection with Wyatt in 2013. Repeated efforts by the victim at recovering the weapons had failed.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives recovered several of the stolen guns from the Wheat Ridge investigation at the Gunsmoke business on March 31 while executing a search warrant on an unrelated, on-going federal investigation.
The ATF said they were following up on a warrant from the 2013 investigation, but wouldn't say what the exact purpose of their investigation was.
The gun shop was burglarized in February of 2013. Several pistols and rifles were stolen after burglars gained access to the building through the roof.
The IRS began investigating Gunsmoke shortly after the burglary and conducted a similar raid in March of 2013.
Gunsmoke had been featured in the canceled reality show "American Guns."
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM WHEAT RIDGE POLICE:
The Wheat Ridge Police Department is requesting that anyone with further information regarding consignment issues at Gunsmoke Guns contact our tip line at 303-235-2947.
