A $10,000 reward is being offered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms industry. The reward is offered to anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the burglary and theft of firearms from the Mega Pawn in Hinesville. 

According to Hinesville Assistant Police Chief Tracey Howard and the ATF, the Mega Pawn store was burglarized twice. The first occurred on Jan. 31 shortly after 9:30 a.m.

Based on the incident report filed by office Chasten Hutchens, officers arrived at Mega Pawn and found the back door pried open. After clearing the building officers reported the top of the gun case containing pistols had been shattered, possibly by a crow bar they found lying near the gun case.

The second break-in occurred on Feb. 4, shortly after midnight. According to the incident report filed by Officer Nicolas Recore, officers found a panel on the front door appeared broken. After clearing the building, they found the gun case had been shattered possibly with a sledge hammer that was found nearby. Another gun case had also been smashed and items appeared to have been taken from near the cash register. In the incident report it was noted that several weapons to include an AR-15 and various pistols were among the items stolen. Laptops and Apple iWatches were also stolen.

“We take this crime very seriously,” said Atlanta Field Division Special Agent in Charge Arthur Peralta. “Firearms trafficking is a serious offense that results in significant federal prison time for the person or persons responsible.”

Based on surveillance footage the first burglary appears to have been committed by a single suspect. The surveillance tape of the Feb. 4, burglary caught three suspects in the store. The suspects were all wearing hooded sweatshirts, facemasks and gloves. 

The 23 stolen firearms pose a potential danger to citizens and communities. ATF is soliciting the public’s assistance with any information that leads to those responsible for these crime.

“We are looking at the similarities of the two crimes as being potentially committed by the same people,” Howard said. “We are currently running some leads and we have developed some people of interest we are looking into.”

Howard said the investigation is active and ongoing. He added that he is concerned because most weapons that are obtained illegally are used to commit crimes.

Anyone with information about this crime should contact ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (888-283-8477), email ATFTips@atf.gov, or through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips. Tips can be submitted anonymously using the Reportit® app or by visiting www.reportit.com.

The $10,000 reward is part of a larger national cooperative initiative between the NSSF and ATF in which NSSF matches ATF rewards in cases involving the theft of firearms from federally licensed firearms retailers. ATF works closely with members of the firearms industry to curb the criminal acquisition and misuse of firearms.