Gun Shop Burglary Thwarted

A witness reported a suspicious car outside a Traverse City gun store, helping police officers stop a burglary in progress.

Officers responded at 1am Sunday to the Armory, a store located inside a former factory at 807 Airport Access Road. They found a suspect dressed in black and using a power saw to cut a lock off a door, says Traverse City Police Department Chief Jeff O’Brien.

The suspect was ordered to the ground and arrested. In the suspect’s backpack, officers found burglary tools, a walkie-talkie and a 9mm semiautomatic pistol. The man is expected to face charges of breaking and entering, possession of burglary tools, and felony firearm.

While the 23-year-old Honor man was placed under arrest, Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s deputies, who showed up to provide backup, spotted a second suspect come out of the woods and arrested him. The 23-year-old Williamsburg man was also dressed in black. He is expected to be charged with breaking and entering. O’Brien believes he was probably supposed to be acting as a lookout.

The Armory says in a statement that they believe the witness and police prevented countless future crimes by stopping the burglary and firearm theft.

“Even though the criminals did not make it through the first layer of our multi-layered security system, we are now looking at ways to increase security even further,” the company says.