Lawrence gun shop theft adds to US trend
LAWRENCE, Ind. (WISH) — Two people broke into a Lawrence gun shop and stole seven handguns overnight on Sunday, according to authorities.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is leading the investigation. News 8 was told surveillance video exists but was not being released on Monday night.
Jesse Alexander called police around 8 a.m. Monday when he saw the gaping hole in the back of KS & E Guns in Lawrence. He works a couple doors down and was walking his dog.
“They got robbed last summer. An armed robbery during the day and the getaway car was right in front of my desk,” he said.
It’s unfortunately not surprising to Alexander.
“They also dug through the roof, they’ve rammed cars in the front of the building multiple times, they’ve tried to pull the doors and windows off,” he said, recalling the other robbery and burglary attempts.
So the work begins to figure out who is responsible this time.
It’s part of a trend nationwide. The number of burglaries of businesses or people who can sell guns has increased by 70 percent from 2013 to 2017, per ATF data. That same data shows guns stolen during those burglaries up more than 130 percent.
“Once they leave the store we don’t know where they’re going, we don’t know who has them,” said Patrick Hand, the ATF supervisor in Indianapolis.
While the burglary happened in Lawrence, the potential impact from this crime extends far beyond.
“We had stolen firearms taken in burglaries wind up in other states,” said Gary Woodruff, deputy chief of Lawrence Police Department.
Locally, it has been a tough year for violent crime in Lawrence and in Indianapolis, which is on pace to break last year’s record for homicides.
The hope is to find the seven guns and the two people responsible for the burglary before any harm is done.
There is a $5,000 reward for information in this case. If you have information, call 317-262-TIPS.
