Gun store owners begin to make changes amid string of break-ins and robberies
A frustrated Allegheny County gun store manager is wondering why it seems like no one is being held accountable for a string of break-ins and burglaries.
"If they are not going to jail and they are going to be let back out, then I don't know what good that does," said Kirk Radziukinas, the manager of Keystone Shooting Center.
Yesterday, news broke from his store in Marshall Township. Now, talking to a handful of gun store owners, many are feeling a tad uneasy and feel like these crimes have to be connected. They're also worried they could be next.
Now, at Keystone Shooting Center, they're making changes.
"It's unfortunate what happened," said Radziukinas. "We are already taking bids on improving security measures here even further."
Keystone Shooting Center's multi-million dollar Marshall Township facility was the latest target of thieves this week when four people pulled up to the store in a stolen car and smashed through laminated glass with a hammer.
"There are individuals running through the store, they break off into two groups, these two come to this end of the store, take something off the shelves, and smash out one of the cases where they grab a couple of guns," Radziukinas recalled. "Then they move down to another case along the wall, which they smash out and grab some more guns from there. The third individual comes over and takes some guns off the rental wall."
The trio stole a couple dozen guns and a couple of silencers. Police said a handful of those guns have been recovered and an adult and a teen were found to be in possession of some of them and were arrested.
"It seems to keep happening if it's the same group of people," Radziukinas said. "I think it's more than just some random kids out having fun."
Less than 24 hours before the North Hills break-in, West Mifflin's police chief believed they stopped a break-in at Legion Arms after arresting two teenage boys who were trying to steal a car and had the route to the location in their GPS.
An ATF spokesperson said they're looking at potential connections to other recent gun store burglaries that have happened in Bethel Park, Stoneboro, Mercer County, and near Youngstown, Ohio.
Gun store owners continue to say that these suspects need to be held accountable, regardless of age.
"They've been arrested, the police are doing their jobs, why are they being let back out?" Radziukinas asked. "Not knowing their background or their histories, it's hard to say, but they are not stealing candy bars from convenience stores, they are stealing guns."
We've reached out to Allegheny County District Stephen Zappala's office for comment, but they are refusing comment.
