Police Make Two More Arrests in Gun Store Burglary

Las Cruces police have arrested and charged two more teenagers for their involvement in the Nov. 22 burglary at a local gun store.

The two additional arrests, one last week and one Monday, Dec. 8, were both 16-year-old boys. The two latest arrests bring the total number of juveniles arrested to six.

Four teenage boys – a 14-year-old, two 15-year-olds and one 16-year-old – were arrested Nov. 24. They are each charged with aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary, breaking and entering, criminal damage to property more than $1,000, larceny involving firearms more than $2,500, tampering with evidence and unlawful possession of a handgun by a person under 19 years of age.

The two most recent arrestees face the same charges. The 16-year-old arrested Nov. 24 faces an additional count of receiving stolen property.

Because of their ages, police cannot publicly identify the juveniles.

The burglary occurred about 2 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at Strykers Shooting World, 415 S. Valley Dr. Police believe six to eight teenage boys used a stolen red Kia Forte to smash through the eastside gate and a rollup door to gain entry into the store.

Multiple firearms were stolen during the Nov. 22 burglary. The suspects left the damaged red Kia on scene and fled in another stolen, gray, Kia Forte.

An LCPD Patrol officer, who was in the vicinity, heard an audible alarm from the store and discovered the break-in before the alarm service reported the incident. Detectives from LCPD’s Criminal Investigations Division, with assistance from the Street Crimes Unit, Patrol and agents from ATF worked together to help identify suspects.

So far, police have recovered some of the firearms that were reported stolen during the burglary. The investigation is ongoing, and additional arrests are possible.

Anyone with information on this incident, or the suspects involved, is asked to call police at (575) 526-0795. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers of Las Cruces and Dona Ana County at 1-800-222-8477.