KTLA

Men stole 300 guns by smashing into stores with stolen vehicles: DOJ

Six men stole more than 300 guns during a nine-month burglary spree involving smashing into gun stores using stolen vehicles, officials said.

These six men have been arrested and are scheduled to make their initial court appearances in Santa Ana on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Department of Justice:


In a news release, federal prosecutors said the group struck nine stores “wherein they used stolen vehicles to ram into the storefronts, smashed display cases, and fled with the stolen firearms in other stolen vehicles.”

The U.S. Department of Justice released this undated image of guns they say were stolen from Southern California stores.

The stores are located in Murrieta, Poway, Ontario, Fallbrook, Oceanside, Riverside, Camarillo, Simi Valley and Orange.

“According to the affidavit, the stolen firearms were being sold on the black market and were found in the possession of others in separate criminal investigations,” the release said.

If convicted, the men face maximum sentences of 10 years in prison.