DENVER – Two people are in custody after stealing 13 AR-15 rifles from Murdoch’s in Littleton early Thursday morning, federal officials tell Denver7 Investigates.
The weapons were stolen shortly after 4 a.m. Thursday, a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told Denver7.
There is now an “active and urgent” investigation underway involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Denver Police Department, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Colorado said.
Eight of the AR-15 rifles were recovered Thursday along with other weapons stolen in a different burglary, officials said, but five of the AR-15s haven’t been recovered. Officers continue to work to find the outstanding weapons.
Two arrests have already been made in connection to the Thursday burglary. It’s unclear if there are remaining suspects outstanding at this time.
There have been a host of thefts and burglaries at Denver-area gun stores over the past year. In October, the ATF arrested 17 people on charges relating to the theft of 400 guns that were stolen in 2017.
The identities of those arrested Thursday have not been released at this time.