$5,000 Reward Offered In Southfield Gun Range Theft
SOUTHFIELD (WWJ) - A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the suspects responsible for stealing 22 firearms from a Southfield gun range.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) said it is offering the reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the suspects who broke into Action Impact on 8 Mile Road on Wednesday.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation will also match any reward paid by ATF for a potential overall reward of up to $10,000.
Daryl McCrary, acting special agent in charge of the ATF Detroit Field Division, said recovering the stolen weapons is one of the agency's top priorities.
"This is a very serious crime. Our experience shows us that these guns move swiftly when in the hands of violent criminals and are used in violent crimes. We also know that tips from the public have resulted in the recovery of stolen firearms," McCrary said in a statement.
Police say surveillance video taken at the gun range around 4:30 a.m. reveals that two individuals used a stolen box-truck to ram into the heavily reinforced exterior wall of the business. After a few attempts, the thieves were able to gain entry to the store. Once inside, police said the crooks took 22 handguns and an unknown amount of ammunition.
"Our primary goal is to recover the stolen weapons to ensure that they are not used to harm anyone," Southfield Police Chief Eric Hawkins said in a statement. "I am confident that someone in the community will provide us with information that will not only help us locate the weapons, but lead to the arrest and convictions of the perpetrators of the crime."
Police are also searching for the Henry Ford Hospital truck that was used in the commission of the crime. The vehicle is described as a 2011 Ford Cutaway Van, mainly blue and white in color with Henry Ford Health System graphics, and license plate number "AB23040."
Anyone with information is urged to call the Southfield Police Department at 248-796-5500; the ATF at 313-202-3400; or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
MORE: Police Search For Stolen Hospital Truck Used To Break Into Southfield Gun Range
