EVERETT — A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the thieves responsible for stealing dozens of guns from an Everett pawn shop Saturday.
Smash-and-grab burglaries are on the rise across the nation. In May, thieves broke into pawn and gun shops in Lakewood, Tumwater and Olympia. The suspects rammed into the stores, stealing jewelry and guns.
Thieves often target firearms, which are traded and sold on the black market. In multiple shootings in Everett in recent months, the suspects were armed with stolen weapons.
Saturday’s break-in at Pawn Father’s on Evergreen Way happened just after 3 a.m. Surveillance video showed a car backing through the glass door and a metal gate. Three people wearing hoods over their faces and gloves entered the shop.
The thieves smashed display cases with rocks.
A witness described the suspects’ vehicle as a purple Dodge Stratus.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting with the investigation because of the number of firearms stolen. Agents were working with the store to determine how many guns are missing. As of Monday, it appeared that more than 30 were taken, Everett police officer Aaron Snell said.
The ATF and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade association for the firearms industry, are putting up the reward money. Anyone with information is asked to call 888-283-8477 or email ATFTips@atf.gov.
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