A burglar is suspected of recently stealing 75 firearms from a Cottonwood home.
On Dec. 30, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office deputies investigated a residential burglary on Rifle Road in Cottonwood.
The person reporting the crime indicated that approximately 75 firearms had been stolen from the home. The weapons were last seen intact as of Dec. 17, according to YCSO Public Information Officer Dwight D’Evelyn.
Deputies contacted detectives from the Criminal Investigations Bureau who are now handling the investigation. Detectives and technicians examined the scene and gathered evidence.
The victim’s house had been unoccupied during the time frame of the weapons’s disappearance, with a caretaker checking the home occasionally, D’Evelyn stated.
The stolen firearms were mostly collectible and military models and included both handguns and rifles. Detectives have not yet released a detailed list.
One of the firearms stolen was a Thompson Machine Gun, collector’s edition, with gold engraving on the stock and grips. Detectives are asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of this firearm to contact YCSO.
Additionally, if you have knowledge of a person or persons who recently obtained a large quantity of guns under suspicious circumstances, detectives would like to speak with you.
Detective Dave Zavos is handling the case and he can be reached at (928) 771-3278. Callers may also contact Yavapai Silent Witness at 1-800-932-3232 to provide information without giving a name. The callers to Silent Witness become eligible for a reward should an arrest occur as a result of the information provided.
Contact YCSO at (928) 771-3260 or visit www.ycsoaz.gov.
