ATF offers reward for guns stolen from Harvey police range

chicagobreakingnews.com
BYLINE: Kristen Schorsch and William Lee
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Chicago, IL

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering up to $5,000 for information that helps police recover the remaining weapons stolen from the Harvey police department gun range about two weeks ago.

The ATF has increased the number of weapons reported stolen on May 8 to 27 from the previous number of 25, according to a news release. The weapons stolen from the shooting range at 153rd Street and Campbell Avenue include shotguns, assault rifles, handguns and several fully-automatic weapons, according to the ATF. So far 11 weapons have been recovered.

The weapons were a mix of police-officer issued and officers' personal guns, Harvey Acting Police Chief Denard Eaves has said. More than 50 local police departments use the gun range, police said.

Three teenage boys, ages 14, 15 and 16, have been charged as juveniles with burglary, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of firearms.

The boys and at least two others were walking on the outdoor gun range when they entered a trailer through a window and took two handguns from a desk, Cook County Assistant State's Atty. Heather Kent said in court this week. The boys later returned and took 23 other weapons, including an MP5 sub machine gun, Kent said.

The recovered weapons were found in a wooded area near the range and in an alley in Harvey, prosecutors said.

Anonymous phone calls led Harvey police to the boys, and the three confessed to their involvement, authorities said.

Harvey police continue to search for up to two more suspects, spokeswoman Sandra Alvarado said.

Anyone with information about the remaining stolen weapons or possible suspects can contact the ATF firearms hotline, (800) ATF-GUNS. Tips can be anonymous.

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Kristen Schorsch and William Lee

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