Four teens accused of using stolen car to ram into, burglarize Las Cruces gun store
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- Las Cruces Police arrested four teenagers suspected of burglarizing Strykers Shooting World this weekend.
The gun store, located on South Valley Drive, was allegedly burglarized at 2 a.m. on Saturday. Police say that the teen boys used a stolen Kia Forte to smash through the store's gate and rollup door. They then left the damaged car at the scene and drove off in another stolen Kia Forte.
An officer happened to be nearby and responded immediately, police department officials explained. The Las Cruces Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division and Street Crimes Unit, along with agents from ATF, conducted a search warrant and recovered several stolen guns. All four teens were arrested Monday. Police officials first released information about this alleged crime on Tuesday.
The teens range in age from 14 to 16, police officials say. Three of the teens, one aged 14 and two aged 15, were charged with aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, breaking an entering, criminal damage to property more than $1,000, larceny involving firearms more than $2,500, tampering with evidence and unlawful possession of a handgun by a person under 19 years of age. The fourth teen, aged 16, is charged with the same crimes, as well as an additional count of receiving stolen property valued at more than $2,500 but not more than $20,000. Because the suspects are minors, police have not publicly identified them.
"Anyone with information on this incident, or the suspects involved, is asked to call police at (575) 526 0795. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers of Las Cruces and Dona Ana County at 1-800-222-8477," a police department spokesperson explained.
