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LAKEPORT – Police believe a recent gun shop burglary may be related to an attempted commercial burglary last week.
Lake County Guns on South Main Street was burglarized sometime between 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Lt. Brad Rasmussen said Thursday.
Rasmussen said that four .22-caliber rifles were taken from the store.
The burglars smashed out a portion of the front window and took the guns from a nearby gun rack, Rasmussen said.
Last week there was an attempted burglary at another business in the small commercial complex in the 400 block of South Main Street where Lake County Guns is located, said Rasmussen.
“There were some similarities seen between both of them so we're investigating the possibility that they are related,” said Rasmussen. “We don't know for sure. But there is evidence that indicates that they were.”
Commercial burglaries aren't common in Lakeport, said Rasmussen. The most recent took place in October, when Express Mart, Dream Machine Customs and West Lake Auto were hit, but the cases weren't related, Rasmussen said.
At Express Mart, the thieves got in through a window, while at Dream Machine Customs the burglars gained access through the door, said Rasmussen. Arrests were made in those cases.
In the fall of 2002, there were several commercial burglaries in the city in which locks were forced. The burglaries took place shortly before the murder of Barbara LaForge. Police reported that those crimes were not related.
The last significant series of commercial burglaries took place in 2000, said Rasmussen. The suspect ultimately hit 17 businesses, and was arrested while committing a burglary in San Mateo. The man was later sentenced to prison.
Rasmussen said he hasn't observed a pattern of stolen firearms in Lake County.
When guns are stolen, they tend to be sold for much less than their value. Guns must be registered and transferred through a licensed gun dealer, said Rasmussen. The gun shop's owner, Clifton Rakic, told Lake County News on Wednesday that the rifles were valued at about $100 each.
The state runs an automated listing of stolen firearms as well as a database of stolen property, said Rasmussen. If the guns are later recovered by law enforcement, they would be identified through that system and Lakeport Police would be notified.
More than 10 years ago, a Coast to Coast store that used to be located near the current location of Grocery Outlet, at the corner of Lakeport Boulevard and South Main Street, was burglarized, and dozens of guns were taken, said Rasmussen.
Lakeport Police have continued to receive reports of the guns taken in that burglary being found in various locations, including the Bay Area, where they either were used in crimes or found during police searches of vehicles, said Rasmussen.
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These must not be stupid criminals as they had enough sense to know that all they had to do in order to disarm the alarm was to turn off the electricity. I want to be sure to get one of those systems of my very own to protect my most precious possessions.
You can bet; had this been a $50,000.00 diamond ring in the window; there would have been more precautions taken to keep it safe from being stolen in some smash and grab tactic as was used by these thieves in order that they might arm themselves with firearms.
I am glad I am not anyone involved in this one. Talk about a deep pockets issues. The thieves of course will have no assets should anyone be hurt by these stolen firearms; but the owner of the rock might; as will possible the shop owner and the company that he entrusted to provide him with a security system that was so easily disarmed. If it was not so sad it would almost be funny! Firearms in a window; I hope the firearms were locked down with some kind of chain or secured by some other means; given the way we think about things today! It will prove to be interesting to see who all they are able to find negligible in this case; because goodness knows they will not wholly hold the thief responsible should anyone be injured by one of these firearms while being used in the act of committing a crime. Sad!