ATF, Firearms Industry Offer up to $10,000 Reward for Information about Firearms Stolen from Gun Store in Southern Maryland
BALTIMORE – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, have announced a combined reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the theft of numerous firearms from a federal firearms licensee in Mechanicsville. ATF Special Agents and Industry Operations Investigators are working with detectives from St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office on this investigation.
On Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 2:46 a.m., Patrol Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to JMJ Firearms LLC located at 29015 Three Notch Road for the report of a burglar alarm. Upon arrival, they located damage to the rear of the business. After further inspection, investigators determined that unknown person(s) utilized a black Ford Expedition to intentionally ram the rear of the business. Once the vehicle was able to destroy the rear wall of the building, unknown person(s) entered the business and removed numerous regulated firearms. A check of the vehicle and the license plates revealed they had been stolen from Charles County, Md.
“A person who uses criminal means to obtain a firearm is someone who needs to be brought to justice and firearms obtained illegally are almost certainly destined to be used for criminal purposes,” said ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones. “It is ATF’s top priority to make sure our communities stay safe and that businesses can operate without fear of incidents like this occurring. We are asking that members of the public who may know something about this incident or the whereabouts of these firearms to come forward.”
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact investigators immediately. To provide tips to ATF, call 888-ATF-TIPS (888-283-8477) or send an email to ATFTips@atf.gov. To provide tips to St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, contact Detective Cpl. Melissa Green at 301-475-4200, ext. 71996 or at melissa.green@stmarysmd.com or the St. Mary’s County Crime Solvers tip line at 301-475-3333.
Tips can also be sent anonymously via the reportit® app using ATF Baltimore Field Division as the location. It is available through the Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and at www.reportit.com.
ATF is offering a reward of up to $5,000, which will be matched by the NSSF for a total reward of up to $10,000. This reward is part of a larger national cooperative initiative between the NSSF and ATF in which NSSF matches ATF rewards in cases involving the theft of firearms from federally licensed firearms retailers.
ATF is the lead federal law enforcement agency with jurisdiction involving firearms and violent crimes, and regulates the firearm industry. More information about ATF and its programs is available at www.atf.gov.
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