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WEST JORDAN — Nine guns, including two machines guns, were recently stolen from a firearms store in West Jordan.
On Thursday, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Jordan Police Department announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrests and convictions of two men believed to be responsible for breaking into Flawless Firearms, 6708 S. Airport Road (4700 West).
The incident happened about 7 a.m. on Nov. 5. Store surveillance video released by the ATF shows two men — who covered their skin from head-to-toe with hoodies, masks and gloves — using a crowbar or similar tool to pry open the back door. After a short time inside the business, the burglars loaded the guns into a white, older-model SUV.
"The machine guns, as well as two silencers, business checks and paperwork, were kept in a safe, which the thieves took with them," the ATF said in a prepared statement.
"The theft of machine guns is especially concerning,” said Ken Croke, the special agent in charge of ATF's Denver Field Division. “If anyone has information on the burglary, we urge them to step forward so we can recover these firearms before someone gets hurt.”
Despite several similarities, ATF officials on Thursday said investigators do not believe the incident is related to the burglary of a Bountiful pawn shop in October in which more than two dozen handguns were stolen. Investigators noted, however, that it was still too early to definitively rule out a possible connection.
On Oct. 14, at least two men broke into Pawn Depot, 613 S. 500 West in Bountiful. The glass front door of the shop was shattered, and the burglars entered carrying tools with them, including what appeared to be a large crowbar in a surveillance video. The men were also "covered head to toe" in clothing so no skin was visible, according to police.
West Jordan Police Sgt. Joe Monson said detectives do believe that a burglary in South Jordan just prior to the Flawless Firearms burglary is related. That burglary involved cash registers and money but not guns, he said.
Anyone with any information about the stolen guns can call the ATF at 1-800- ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or West Jordan police at 801-840-4000.
