27 Rifles Stolen from California Military Base, ATF Didn’t Tell Public for Two Weeks
- Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:02pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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FORT IRWIN, Calif. (AP) — More than two dozen assault rifles have been stolen from a Southern California military base, and investigators sought the public’s help as they looked to arrest suspects and recover the weapons, federal officials said Friday.
Twenty-six AK-74 assault rifles and one Dragunov sniper rifle were stolen from a supply warehouse at Fort Irwin in San Bernardino County on July 15, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says in a statement.
Some arrests have been made and one rifle has been recovered, but the agency is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to further arrests, the statement said.
“Community participation is necessary to improve the likelihood that ATF and our law enforcement partners will track down the firearms as well as the criminals who have sought to destabilize our community through illegal activity,” ATF Special Agent in Charge John A. Torres said in the statement.
ATF spokesman Special Agent Christian Hoffman could not say when reached by phone how many were arrested, whether they were military or civilian or what motive they may have had.
He referred those questions to military officials, who made the arrests. Phone and email messages left late Friday for a spokesman from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command, which is investigating the theft along with the ATF and the FBI, were not immediately returned.
Hoffman also could not say why word of the theft did not become public for two weeks, but said his agency decided to issue a news release because of the potential danger the loose weapons posed.
“We determined that there was a public safety issue with the guns getting out on the street,” he said.
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Comments (131)
DVPFLA
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:24pmThis is just another example of why Americans should not have the right to own or possess firearms and only the government should have such weapons…Oh….well maybe not such a good example…never mind.
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:32pmC’mon ATF! Get it together please!
Report Post »silentwatcher
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 10:36pmahhh, the ATF holding back again. Probably HAD to come out, as the information started to trickle to the public. Maybe the guns went down to Mexico???? I‘ll bet the ATF knows where they’re at!!!!
Report Post »teamarcheson
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 11:47pmWhat about the Stinger surface-to-air missiles and those ant-tank TOWs. When will they tell us about that. Mayby Obama secretly handed them over to the Mexican drug cartel.
Report Post »HairOfTheDogSob
Posted on July 31, 2011 at 5:01amIsn’t it just like barry said…a government that we can we can all trust…thanks barry
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on July 31, 2011 at 10:24am.
Report Post »I love their slogan:
“At The Frontline against violent crime”
(handing out AK-47′s.)
Secret Squirrel
Posted on July 31, 2011 at 10:26am.
Since when did we start buying AK-74″s?
Made in the Eastern Block on a Russian design.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on July 31, 2011 at 11:27amATF will NOT be fixed until we have a President who RESPECTS The Constitution of These United States.
Report Post »its_time_to_arrest_our_government
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 8:12amstolen? or given away? looks to me like our government is the problem its time to take a stand Americans. are we going to continue watch and waiting for justice to happen. ITS UP TO US.
Report Post »de37873
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 2:04pmWhen did the US adopt the AK 74 as a service weapon? Something smells wrong with this whole story. I have not seen any of our troops given them have you?
Report Post »HollywoodUSMC
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 12:33amFormer Marine… Trained on Ft. Irwin… The reason they have those weapons is to show us how to take them assemble and disassemble them as well as show us how they opperate in case we need to use them during battle. They had AK- 47 there as well.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:23pm““Community participation is necessary to improve the likelihood that ATF and our law enforcement partners will track down the firearms as well as the criminals who have sought to destabilize our community through illegal activity,” ATF Special Agent in Charge John A. Torres said in the statement.”
THIS IS A SMOKE SCREEN!
It is ATF, DOJ, and possibly the Whitehouse that is responsible for the criminal activity which is attempting to destabilize communities through their unConstitutional, treasonous activities!
Proof that God answers prayer. The Gunwalker Plotters Double Down on Arrogance and Stupidity. So, who is really running ATF these days?
Report Post »http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2011/07/proof-that-god-answers-prayer-gunwalker.html
yougottabekidding
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:46pmA–H—Franken forgot the “ we supply on the bottom of his sign” !
Report Post »Fina Biscotti
Posted on July 31, 2011 at 4:21pmMore weapons for Obama’s Revolution…..
Report Post »dsm
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:06pmKnowing what I know now about ATF and Holder, I would not be surprised if this is another engineered set up by the gov. The white house knows we have to get rid of the 2nd amendment before the communist in chief can actually declare his dictatorship.
Report Post »Rightsofman
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:24pmI guess like everything else this is another example of liberal gun control implementation. I’m no longer worried about our guns being confiscated because its more likely that the ATF will mail me an UZI by mistake and then fogeddaboudit.
Report Post »Rightsofman
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:27pmI sleep well at night because I know that Napolitano and Holder are looking out for me. How about you?
Report Post »SageInWaiting
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:12pmWell, they need to supply their “Civilian Defense Force” (a.k.a Obama’s Brown Shirts?) somehow.
Report Post »TAKE_NO_PRISONERS
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:55pmWhy steal guns? Eric Holder has a back to school sale coming up.Tweet your all your terrorist friends ,the bargains are a steal.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:51pmGovernment at its best!
Report Post »batteredtaxpayer
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:49pmfind out which ammo is cheaper and go with the appropriate weapon.
Report Post »temple62
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:42pmThe buck stops where – with Buckwheat???
Report Post »Arizona Don
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:07pmAre you kidding, nothing stops with him!
Report Post »teamarcheson
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 11:51pmWhen gun stores loose or have weapons stolen, the gun store owner gets big ATBF fines and looses their licenses. Gun store owners may even face prison. Who at ATBF will be going to prison?
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:38pmIf you think that Holder and ATF is going to be held responsible. Think again. Not at least until Obambi is taken out of office. Then just maybe the next president won’t give them pardons.
Report Post »LadyIzShy
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:37pmI guess I dont think the ATF needs to tell us everything, maybe they were working leads and thought if they announced it they would not find the people
Report Post »Arizona Don
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:03pmWhat about fast and furious, do you think that was ok too?
Report Post »Pattondog
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:35pmdid they check eric holders closet, rumor has it he knows a thing or two abut gun running.
Report Post »ConsiderThis
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:38pmSomething stinks here.
Report Post »momprayn
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:34pmATF, Holder in deep, deep trouble and it’s about time!!!!!!!!!!! Saw the other day Issa is really hopeful & has the info and is probably only a matter of time before they can nail him…. he‘s another traitor but then they’ll probably just hire another one…..oh well….
Report Post »Also – latest info on Obama’s b,c, – they’re going over to Hawaii Aug. 8 to deliver a subpoena to be shown it & if it’s another forgery, which they’ll be able to tell – will file criminal charges. ????!!!!!
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=327373
JUSTICE AND TRUTH marches on!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RepubliCorp
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:31pmTwenty-six AK-74 assault rifles and one Dragunov sniper rifle???? Why would they have east block guns at a military base? Something smells funny………..
Report Post »southernORcobra
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:35pmprobably for OPFOR weapon familiarization
Report Post »dscon
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:37pmi hope this isnt true………but maybe ak47′s are cheaper and……..just as good or better quality?
Report Post »chazman
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:37pm… ATF … what a pack of Ultra Maroons …
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:21pmFor decades the Army’s National Training Center at Fort Irwin, CA has used Opposing Forces (OPFOR) weapons in live fire & dry/blank fire training. It even uses former Soviet Union tanks & APCs, artillery, anti-aircraft systems, helicopters, etc.
It provides for realistic training & foreign weapons familiarization (know your enemy).
Report Post »180pilot
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:27pmI’m sure the AK-74′s are for familiarization with enemies arms, however from expert opinion:
“The troubled old M16 platform has had its problems from the beginning. A design mired in the late 1950′s, Jim Sullivan of the original design team has denounced it. Mr Sullivan has commented, “They’re right exactly where they were when we gave them the M-16 in 1960. They haven’t advanced an inch. That AK-74 out-hits the M-16 by two to one on full automatic.” The U.S. Army’s own testing, provoked by the efforts of Senator Tom Coburn, showed that the current M4 finished dead last in sandstorm reliability testing versus three other rifles. The M4 had more stoppages in the November, 2007 test then all three of the other rifles combined.”
Report Post »Ready2Rumble
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 9:35pmI have been seeing that the old M-14 is making a limited come back…..you gotta love that reliablility and hefty 7.62 NATO round! Proudly made in America :)
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on July 31, 2011 at 1:59amThe old M-14 is a great weapon and it has more punch plus 500 yard hits are not out of the question. Drawbacks: the weight of the rifle/ammo and not good in full-auto
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on July 31, 2011 at 7:29amBetter question is why were they in a warehouse and not locked in the armory, where all weapons should be kept on a military installation?
Report Post »Ready2Rumble
Posted on July 31, 2011 at 8:50amThe M-14 was a good rifle in semi-auto, but in full auto, it was hard to control (then again, full auto situations are rare now-a-days – unless you are looking at Hollywood BS). Weight is an issue, but nothing negates that like good, old fashioned hitting power and reliability.
Report Post »ED4237
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:29pmHolder and the ATF are tracking these guns. The base should have had better security at this time. I dont care that they did not tell the public right away but this doesn’t make them look any better. They need to look at the staff and those that had acess first before asking the public. The guns are in or on their way to Mexico.
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:28pmHeads will roll. The Justice Dept. & ATF don’t take these things very seriously but the Army & DoD do … there will be serious he!! to pay for this one.
Report Post »Sicboy
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:42pmNo heads will roll. There will be a cover-up from Fort Irwin to the Pacific Ocean. Only people on that base Are Army and some civilians. Sounds like another ATF set-up that got away. Only the dupes will be jailed.
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:52pmHolder, the ATF & other law enforcement may not take this seriously but the Army is a very, very, very different culture.
I’d bet a year in jail myself that at least half a dozen will be prosecuted, at least two officers will lose their careers (at a minimum) & at least one DoD member will do time in Leavenworth. It’s unlikely any senior officers will be punished unless they were directly involved but mid & junior officers are likely to go down.
The military closes down entry/exit to entire bases if a single weapon, night vision device or other sensitive item is missing. If one is actually lost that commander’s career is almost certainly over.
Report Post »dscon
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:28pmah yes…… the gun running atf/holder-doj etc project….
designed to put gun haters and 2nd amendment ppl at odds…
via see i told u so…those damn consevs gun lovers are why the
drug cartels are so violent.
the great dividers(POTUS etc) at work under the guise of…see the right wingers ARE the problem.
lets NOT seal the boarder…let the cartels run our national forests…..
and don’t let a crisis get by without creating it or….milking it!
i do listen to what comes out of their mouths!
Report Post »jrcess
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:27pmProbably the ATF and Holder sold them to the Drug Cartel.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:12pmHad to cover it as “stolen’ so they could give them to the drug cartel.
Report Post »donfield
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:26pmDo the mean AK – 47′s? What was a U.S. military base doing with that many Russian/Enemy weapons? Why weren’t they locked in the Armory like ALL weapons not currently in use are supposed to be stored on a military installation. Keeping weapons in a ‘supply warehouse’ is just stupid. When will the adults be put back in charge?
Report Post »arbky
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:36pmThe weapons weren‘t locked up because they’re CR_P. The Dragunov endangers no targets. But we‘re lucky the other rifles weren’t AK-47s, which also may not be the most accurate of arms, but they always go BANG.
Report Post »newmexicobob
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:39pmAK-74s are basically the same thing as an AK-47 but are chambered in NATO 5.56 instead of 7.62 x 39.
Report Post »doubletap
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:03pm@newmexicobob,
AK-74 is 5.45×39 not 5.56
Report Post »newmexicobob
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:21pmI stand corrected Doubletap you are absolutely correct, don‘t where I got that information but I’ve been wrong now for 5 or 6 years. Thanks for correction.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 8:54pmI got to shoot a Russian SKS….they’re very accurate and no kick. I hit a perfect bullseye, better than the gun owner and I hadn’t picked up a rifle since boot camp in 1984.
Report Post »absolutely
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:26pmGreat now what new law will they have to make against legal gun owners to prevent this from happening again. I know lets restrict the sales of assault rifles, that’s it, that’s it. That will stop criminals from stealing them from the military. Absolutely
Report Post »NO-GODS-NO-MASTERS
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:24pmWho cares if the ATF didn’t tell the public. The real issue is how this happened at a military base during a time of war when security is suppose to be at it’s highest.
Report Post »SLARTIBARTFAST
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:33pmIt’s important to note that as these rifles were kept at a military base (and are also mostly illegal in Kalifornia), they were very likely used in training soldiers what to be able to expect in how these weapons sound when fired. This means they were almost certainly full automatics (except for the Dragonov). Yeah, I think the public ought to have been informed just a wee bit earlier about this.
Report Post »NO-GODS-NO-MASTERS
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:46pmSo these 27 assault rifles that ATF didn’t inform the public about worries you. And not the 4 million others that are already out there. Again the issue is how this happened at a military base during a time of war when security is suppose to be at it’s highest. The fact ATF didn’t inform the public is irrelevant.
Report Post »South Philly Boy
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:23pmLike I said before Put the whole BATF in JAIL along with HOLDER and the VERY TOP.
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:22pmInside job.
Report Post »fatjack
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:21pmThe reason it took 21 days was to cover tracks. Trust me those guns are not missing.
Report Post »chips1
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:11pmHolder is behind it. Now, where’s my $10,000?
Report Post »NewBee
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:11pmIt was the ATF and they did not tell anyone because they knew they would be in Mexico….
Report Post »olddog
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 6:07pmIt is way past time for a new director of the ATF..They need a good house cleaning and lots of jail time..
Report Post »Captain Whamo
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 8:42pmIt’s way past time to get rid of the ATF.
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on July 30, 2011 at 7:43pmyep,it sounds suspicious,with all those eyes and security they still got stole, sounds fishy too me, i guess the government is trying to take our eyes off their other screw up the fast and f–k up. better watch the other hand.
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