Three men have been arrested for allegedly stealing a rifle and shotgun from a De Soto Police SUV, Police Chief Jeff McCreary said.
He said a 20-year-old St. Louis man was arrested Jan. 26, and an 18-year-old Hematite man and a 21-year-old De Soto-area man were arrested Jan. 27. All three men were booked and then released pending application for warrants.
The guns were stolen between 11 p.m. Jan. 23 and 1 a.m. Jan. 24 from a Ford Explorer while it was parked on a De Soto street outside the officer's home. The suspects allegedly broke a small window near the driver-side door in an attempt to reach inside and unlock the SUV. When that didn’t work, they allegedly smashed the rear window of the Explorer. De Soto Police did not have an estimate for the damage to the windows, McCreary said.
He said the rifle was recovered Jan. 26 inside the De Soto city limits, and the shotgun was recovered Jan. 27 at a residence outside the city limits. He also said he is relieved the weapons were recovered.
McCreary said De Soto Police will seek charges against the men through the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
He said the De Soto Police Department ordered new locking systems to secure rifles and shotguns stored in police cars a couple of weeks ago, before the theft happened. Once the new systems arrive, they will be installed in all 10 police cars, McCreary said.