Stolen Forest Service Weapons

Rifles stolen from police cars
Other stolen items found
burning on mesa

Updated: Thursday, 11 Jun 2009, 12:41 PM MDT
Published : Thursday, 11 Jun 2009, 12:41 PM MDT

• Reporter: Crystal Gutierrez
• Web Producer: Todd Dukart

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Thieves broke into five U.S. Forest Service Police vehicles as the officers slept at an Albuquerque hotel, taking off with several high-powered rifles, laptops and radios. The officers discovered the thefts at the Sheraton Uptown early Thursday morning and called Albuquerque police. As police investigated, Bernalillo County firefighters responded to a fire on Albuquerque's West Mesa, where they discovered some of the stolen laptops, radios and documents burning. Officials are focusing their efforts on the weapons, which are still missing. The fire destroyed much of the evidence, making the investigation that much harder. Anybody with information about the break-in is asked to call Albuquerque police at 505-242-2677.

This is an interesting story. I've followed comments on the KRQE website which generally state amazement that the weapons were not secured. I also think that it's odd that the thieves chose to mark the objects they discarded on an open mesa by burning them. Could this be used by Forest Service Law Enforcement as an excuse to search the Gathering?