The Clark County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that a “person of interest” in the Fox Shooting Loft burglary has been arrested in Springfield for his role in a recent Montgomery County gun store theft. While the suspect’s name could not be released, he is scheduled to meet with numerous law enforcement agencies next week, and will likely be charged for his role in the January smash-and-grab theft of 17 weapons from the Mad River Township shooting range.
Sergeant Chad Brown of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said he hopes to see charges brought against the suspect next week, noting that the man would first have to meet with multiple agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Brown confirmed that the man was arrested in connection with a Montgomery County gun store theft, and found to be in possession of some of the stolen weapons during the time of his arrest in Springfield.
“We’re trying to link him to the Fox Loft incident,” Brown said. “We have a very good indication that this is our guy—we’re just waiting for him to meet with multiple jurisdictions. Hopefully we’ll come to a conclusion soon,” he added.
Brown noted that recovering the weapons stolen in both incidents is a “priority,” saying that it is law enforcement’s purpose to hold people accountable for their crimes as well as recovering the guns before they create a public safety hazard.
“We want to locate the weapons and get them off the street as soon as possible,” said Brown. “We want to get them back in the hands of their rightful owners, but we really need to get them off the streets so something horrible doesn’t happen.”
Fox Shooting Loft was robbed on January 7 of this year when the suspect shattered the front doors using a pickup truck that was reported stolen out of Springfield. The suspect got away with 17 weapons in that incident.
Brown believes that the suspect could be charged next week, and agreed to provide updates to us as they become available.