Criminals Target Game Warden Vehicles for Firearm Thefts
OutdoorHub Reporters 05.23.14
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) office in Jackson reported the second firearm theft in a month—and the fourth so far this year—when officers found a MDWFP vehicle broken into. According to WLBT, an AR-15 style rifle was stolen from a department truck after the perpetrators smashed a window and forced their way into the vehicle’s gun storage area. The incident comes after another rifle and handgun were stolen from a vehicle last month.
“The thieves managed to steal a semi-automatic rifle. It was on lockdown, however, the thieves were able to compromise it and get away with it,” MDWFP spokesperson Jim Walker told WAPT.
The most recent theft occurred in a shopping center parking lot late last week and a local store confirmed that the event was captured on surveillance footage. Wildlife officials said that the thieves knew what they were doing, where the firearms would be stored, and how to open the gun locks. While officials cannot say for certain that the cases were all related, it is being pursued as a possibility.
You can see an interview with Walker below:
