Thieves hit Ft. Worth Cheaper Than Dirt for handguns

[News Shooter]

This is just a short distance from another gun store that got nailed late last year

Handguns taken from Fort Worth gun store
BY BILL MILLER
[email protected]
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* Crime Time blog External Link

FORT WORTH -- Nearly 20 handguns were stolen early Thursday from a gun store in north Fort Worth, police and a federal agent said.

The burglary was reported at 4:50 a.m. at the Cheaper Than Dirt store at the intersection of North Loop 820 and Interstate 35W, according to a police report.

There was an alarm and video surveillance of the break in, said Tom Crowley, spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

"Two subjects pried open the front door and broke into a glass case," Crowley said. "They took 19 handguns. These were high-end handguns.

"Apparently they did try to get some long guns, but they were secure."

An investigation was continuing Thursday morning.

Cheaper Than Dirt officials were unavailable for comment. The company sells firearms, but it also carries an extensive inventory of shooting supplies and outdoors equipment that is sold by catalog and over the Internet.

Check back for more details.
Bill Miller, 817-390-7684

 

[strat81]

When I saw your thread title, I thought they got the treatment from the ATF that CavArms did.

Filthy thieves.

 

[News Shooter]

Good point

 

[Dope]

Notice that they never try to rob gun stores during business hours. I wonder why...

Dope

 

[Ash]

Hmmm, I was hoping to run by and check them out this weekend...

Ash

 

[D94R]

Watch out, all those law abiding criminals will now use those legally stolen guns to commit lawful crimes, thus proving we as humans have no rights or needs for hand guns because they are *gasp* dangerous in everyone's hands who own them.

 

[Dumpster Baby]

The cop shop I worked at back in the 70's used to leave the rifles and shotguns hanging up but put the handguns in the safe at closing time. After a small manhole cover came through the front door the long guns were put away every night, too. Moving all that stuff was a PITA, putting up chain curtains across the front was a PITA, keeping the window foils repaired was a PITA, .........

 

[SASS#23149]

I'm thinking the handguns will get locked up at night now.

Hope they had good security video running.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Notice that they never try to rob gun stores during business hours. I wonder why...

Dope

Um, nope. Gun stores get robbed as well. See http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4TSHB_enUS253US253&q=gun+store+robbed

Check vids...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcSp4SJAsOE
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=fab_1195132074

Another burglary happened to CTD a few years ago over the Xmas holidays. It was all caught on video and the burlgar turned himself in to authorities.

 

[Kind of Blued]

If someone tried to rob the gun shops that I frequent, the first thing I would do, if I were smart, is stick my fingers in my ears and nod to the employees.

YIKES!

 

[Crunker1337]

^^I'd do the same, but I'd also laugh a little bit.

 

[Zoogster]

If someone tried to rob the gun shops that I frequent, the first thing I would do, if I were smart, is stick my fingers in my ears and nod to the employees.

The store was obviously closed at the time

Then he sent one of his employees to the store.

Can you imagine being that employee? Get a call from your boss like: "Hey there is several masked armed men in the store, further arming themselves with firearms and ammunition. Why don't you head that way for me and see if you can stop them. The police are taking thier time."

 

[Double Naught Spy]

This is an interesting observation...
http://startelegram.typepad.com/crime_time/2008/03/three-gun-store.html

March 20, 2008
3 gun store burglaries since July on or near Loop 820
Today's break-in at Cheaper Than Dirt, just of off North Loop 820, marks the third time in the past nine months that burglars broke into a Fort Worth gun store and stole weapons.

The first one that we can recall was in July. Store employees at Military Gun Supply in the 3800 block of East Loop 820, reported that several firearms were taken, including semiautomatic rifles and pistols. Someone rolled a boulder into the front of the store (right).

Then in November, semiautomatic rifles and other merchandise were stolen by black-clad men who used a pickup to break into Trader Jim Pawn Shop in the 1000 block of South Handley Drive. That location is about two miles north of Military Gun Supply.

A witness told police that the men pulled up to the shop in a black pickup, which they used to pull the roll-down door away from the building, police said. The witness said the men loaded several firearms and drove off in the truck.

In today's burglary at Cheaper Than Dirt, two people were seen prying open the front door and then breaking a glass showcase inside. They took 19 handguns, according to a federal agent.

The similarities in all of these burglaries are not just that a bunch of guns were stolen. The three businesses are all located on or near Loop 820.

Check back for more updates.

-- Bill Miller

 

[Double Naught Spy]

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/pages/ContentDetail?contentId=6085428

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/MyFox/pages/sidebar_video.jsp?contentId=6090558&version=1&locale=EN-US
Video of burglary. Strangely, the guys had the same trouble getting rifles off the wall as the last guy 5 years ago.

The burglars were in and out in less than a minute and got 19 handguns no reported at about $10,000. I don't know that an average price of $526 makes them high end handguns as claimed initially. Some may have been, but obviously not all of them...unless you are comparing against KelTecs and Bersas.

 

[H23gsr]

I hope they catch these scum bags.

 

[rjohnson4405]

Dirty weasels! Here I am scraping up every penny to buy guns :banghead:

 

[kwelz]

Stupid kids.

We set our shop up so that it is near impossible.

The bottom 4-5 feet is concrete covered in brick so there is no driving a car through the wall. You may damage the wall but you arn't going anywhere after that.

The entrance is two set os heavy glass doors backed up with a gate. So even if you get through the first set of doors you are still fighting with the second set or the gate when the cops get there to arrest your sorry rear.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

We set our shop up so that it is near impossible.

I have seen these sort of man trap multiple door setups taken out with a long pole and 'grappling' hook.

For every barrier, there is a solution. Hopefully, your setup will be enough to dissuade simpleton intrusions such as have happened twice now at CTD.

 

[chris in va]

Yikes. My dad lives pretty darn close to that store.

 

[XDJ]

My local gun store was robbed in a similar fashion, as were several other local gun stores. Though the store did nothing illegal or specifically wrong, they were not allowed to sell guns for I think 6 months. Fortunately they sell a lot of other outdoors gear. Now they carry about a third of what they used to, do not put any guns out on busy days, and have to lock all guns in the big safe during all closed hours.

I hope it's different in Texas and CTD can get back up and selling guns quickly.