Yesterday, November 10, 2015, the Sheriff’s Office learned that sometime during the evening of November 9th or early morning of November 10th, an unknown suspect(s) burglarized the personal vehicle of an off-duty Shasta County Sheriff’s deputy. The suspect(s) forced entry into the locked vehicle and accessed property stored within the vehicle.
Stolen was a Colt M4 law enforcement tactical rifle. Also stolen was the deputy’s duty hand gun, a Springfield 1911 .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Additional equipment taken included the deputy’s “Sam Brown” duty belt, which contained handcuffs, pepper spray, baton, a handheld Sheriff’s radio and other equipment.
The Redding Police Department is investigating the vehicle burglary as the incident occurred in City of Redding. At this time the suspect(s) is unknown; however, the vehicle has been processed for evidence and investigative leads. All firearms and serialized equipment have been entered into the National Crime Information Center’s (NCIC) and the Automated Firearms System (AFS) computer database.
The Sheriff’s Office is very disturbed by this theft and shares the obvious concerns for the public’s safety. The Sheriff’s Office is taking this theft very seriously. An internal investigation has been initiated to determine if any policy violations occurred in how the deputy’s equipment was stored and whether or not it was properly secured within the vehicle.
We are asking for our community’s help in this matter. Secret Witness of Shasta County, is offering a reward for up to $2,500 for information leading to the recovery of stolen property and arrest of those involved. If anybody has any information regarding this theft, they are encouraged to call the Redding Police Department at 245-6540 or Secret Witness at (530) 243-2319.
Even law enforcement personnel can be victims of crime. The public is reminded not to have valuable items in their vehicles, even if the items are not visible.
