COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (KRDO) — A group of robbers used a stolen car to pierce the window of the Spartan Defense gun store early Thursday morning, stealing weapons and causing significant property damage, according to the store owner and employees.
“There is frustration because we were in the process of upgrading our security systems, which made them a more difficult target,” said store owner Ted Collins. “It’s frustrating because it seems like no matter what we do, it’s difficult to stop a car driving through your store at 30 miles an hour or whatever speed.”
Employees said the thieves took AK rifles and 9mm pistols and left about a dozen gun racks on the wall empty after the break-in.
The crime at Spartan Defense on Barnes Street was one of three incidents at a gun store between 2 and 4 a.m. Thursday morning.
A CSPD spokesperson confirmed that shortly before the Spartan Defense break-in, the same group had rammed the front door of another gun store, DCF, but was unable to get through the steel-reinforced doors.
During the same period, the security system of a third gun store in Fountain chased away four people dressed all in black.
Surveillance video recorded outside shows a member of the group saying, “There are no weapons here.”
The store owner said he kept his weapons locked away and out of sight.
CSPD has not confirmed whether the Fountain incident is related to the other two.
Collins was not so lucky and now has to deal with the consequences.
“I have to pay a high deductible first of all. Our rates are going to go up. It affects us as a company and, my God, how long is it going to take before I get reimbursed by the insurance company? In the meantime, I have to cover the costs,” Collins said.
Collins had two-ton boulders outside his store and was putting up steel barriers to prevent car thefts when his store was attacked Thursday. He said the group was able to move one of the boulders out of the way before breaking through.
The three incidents early Thursday came just a week after Spruce Defense and SDS guns were hit using the same car-ramming technique. CSPD said that with the two most recent incidents, the department has responded to nearly 30 burglary crimes this year.
“We need tougher measures against the terrible acts of these people and we need to put them behind bars. They need to be locked up,” Collins said.
Collins said the damage to his store far exceeds the loss from lost merchandise. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is working to recover the weapons.
Late Thursday afternoon, 4th Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen and Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez released a joint statement in response to the recent series of burglaries.
“My office and our local law enforcement partners have a zero-tolerance policy toward
Burglary offenses against businesses in our community, especially in connection with theft
firearms,” said District Attorney Michael Allen.
