$15K reward offered in Md. gun shop burglaries

A reward of up to $15,000 for information is being offered after a burglary and attempted burglary happened almost a week apart at the same Rockville, Maryland, gun store last November.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) released photos of the suspected robbers this week.

The ATF said just before 4 a.m. on Nov. 19, Montgomery County police responded to Atlantic Guns on 15813 Frederick Road about a report of a burglary. When they arrived, they found a stolen vehicle on a sidewalk.

(Courtesy ATF)

After looking at video surveillance footage, authorities said that a number of suspects unsuccessfully tried to ram the stolen vehicle into the store for entry and “no property was stolen.”

ATF said around 1 a.m. on Nov. 25, police responded to a report of a burglary in progress at the same gun store. When they arrived, they found a stolen black sedan on a sidewalk. Video surveillance footage showed the suspects using the vehicle to ram into the store successfully.

A photo from the thefts of firearms at Atlantic Guns on Nov. 25, 2022, that shows two people in dark-colored clothing inside of a store. (Courtesy ATF)

Four of the suspects entered the store and took seven pistols and five rifles before fleeing the area with two additional suspects in awaiting vehicle, ATF said in a news release.

Montgomery County police, along with ATF, are working to identify the people and to recover the stolen firearms.

They’re asking people with information about the burglaries to call ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS.

Tadiwos Abedje

Tadi Abedje is a freelance digital writer/editor for WTOP. He was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Northern Virginia. Journalism has been his No. 1 passion since he was a kid and he is blessed to be around people, telling their stories and sharing them with the world.

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