Utah police, feds investigating theft of 18 semi-automatic handguns

Roosevelt police and federal investigators are trying to find whoever stole 18 semi-automatic handguns during a break-in at a hardware store.

During the early morning hours of June 23, a man forced his way into Stewart's Ace Hardware at 245 W. U.S. Highway 40, said Roosevelt police detective Pete Butcher. Surveillance footage of the crime shows the man going through the store, grabbing the semi-automatic handguns of various makes and models.

"It appears that it was pre-planned. He goes in to get certain items," Butcher said.

The Roosevelt police have investigated a case where even more guns than were taken, but that case involved a cache of guns taken from multiple crime scenes, Butcher said.

"For an isolated incident, this is [a lot]," he said of the hardware store case.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is working together with the police to find the suspect. Butcher declined to give a physical description of him or what kind of bag he may have used to stash the guns for fear of compromising the investigation.

If he is caught, the suspect would be facing both local and federal charges, Butcher said.

The store estimates that the total retail value of the guns was $12,000 to $14,000.

If anyone has information about the crime, they can call the Roosevelt Police Department at 435-722-2330 or dispatchers at 435-722-4558.

mmcfall@sltrib.comTwitter: @mikeypanda