by LIVERMORE, Calif. — A gun store in California’s East Bay area was burglarized for the third time in two years, with thieves stealing more than 30 firearms worth about $40,000, according to police.
The incident occurred early Saturday morning at East Bay Firearms, a family-owned gun shop operated by brothers Damon and Butts in Livermore.
Thieves Ram Vehicle Into Storefront
Authorities said officers from the Livermore Police Department responded around 4:30 a.m. to reports of a break-in. Upon arrival, police discovered that the suspects had rammed a car through the glass storefront to gain entry.
“Thieves are the worst type of people, and I want to see them brought to justice,” said Damon Butts, co-owner of the store. “If this can happen to us here, in what we believe is a very secure facility, it can happen to your business as well.”
Investigators said the Livermore Police Criminal Investigations Bureau and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are jointly investigating the burglary. So far, no arrests have been made.
Owners Fear Stolen Guns Could Endanger Community
While the financial damage is significant, Butts said his main concern is how the stolen weapons could be misused.
“It’s not the financial losses for us,” he explained. “It’s the things that they stole that could be used to hurt the community. I’m never going to be okay with that.”
Law enforcement agencies have long warned that stolen firearms often resurface in violent crimes or are sold illegally on the black market.
Experts Say Stolen Guns Often Reappear in Crimes
Security analyst and former FBI agent Jeff Harp, who has personal experience with gun store thefts, said stolen weapons can remain in circulation for years.
“My dad’s guns that were stolen in the ’70s were still entered in the NCIC (National Crime Information Center) when I was in the FBI in 1995,” Harp noted. “All these firearms are entered into NCIC in the event they’re used in a crime and recovered — if they’re recovered.”
Harp explained that while the ATF closely monitors licensed gun dealers, these safeguards don’t always prevent organized thefts.
“Certainly, you can have a robust safe, a robust security system, and all those things,” he said. “But if somebody rams a car in the front of your building, it doesn’t do a whole lot of good.”
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Investigation Ongoing
Authorities are reviewing surveillance footage and tracking the vehicle used in the burglary. Police said they are working with the ATF to trace the stolen weapons and monitor potential resale attempts.
Anyone with information related to the burglary is urged to contact the Livermore Police Department or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers.
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