Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Police have warned residents in recent months about leaving guns in their vehicles, noting the spike in weapons being stolen during car burglaries.
That caution should also be applied when dropping off a vehicle to be serviced, police say.
An employee at a Salt Lake dealership's auto body shop is facing criminal charges after allegedly stealing guns out of two vehicles brought in for service over the past year.
Bryan Rex Bunge, 40, of South Salt Lake, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with two counts of theft of a firearm, a second-degree felony.
According to charging documents, Bunge worked at Ken Garff Auto Body, 20 E. 900 South. On Aug. 25, a pickup truck was dropped off for service. Two employees checking the vehicle found a handgun in the glove box and a wallet that contained a Salt Lake Honorary Colonel badge, the charges state.
The manager at the shop later told an employee to retrieve the gun from the vehicle to put in safekeeping. But when the employee went back to the glove box, the gun was gone, according to the charges.
Bunge was named as a possible suspect after security surveillance video was reviewed, the charges state. A Unified police officer questioned Bunge on Sept. 2, but he denied taking the weapon, according to police.
On Oct. 13, members of the Unified police SWAT team, Major Investigations Unit and Violent Crimes Unit served a search warrant on Bunge's home. A Glock handgun that was reported stolen in 2021 from another vehicle at the same auto body shop was recovered, the charges state.
"While en route to the jail, (an officer) advised Bunge that they had found a Glock 17 on his kitchen table, and it was listed as stolen from his place of employment over one year prior," the charges state. "His response: 'Okie dokie.'"
The other handgun, which contains a Salt Lake County Sheriff's insignia, remained missing as of Wednesday.
A judge has ordered Bunge to be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without the possibility of posting bail pending his next court hearing.
Unified police say the incident is a good reminder to gun owners to never leave their weapons unattended in their vehicles, whether it's because that vehicle is being dropped off at a repair shop or even if the person is going into a grocery store or just parking their vehicle in their garage at night.
"If you're not going to be in your car, don't leave your gun in your car," said Unified Police Sgt. Melody Cutler.
