Cabela's reports $100,000 in guns missing

[HighVelocity]

Posted on Tue, May. 17, 2005





Cabela's reports $100,000 in guns missing

By Alex Branch

Star-Telegram Staff Writer


FORT WORTH - Federal agents are investigating the disappearance of 76 firearms from a storage site being used by Cabela's, the outdoor superstore set to open this month in Fort Worth.

Cabela's officials reported the rifles, shotguns and handguns missing Saturday to Fort Worth police, said Tom Crowley, special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.


The guns were valued at more than $100,00, he said.


"We're trying to determine what happened to them," Crowley said. "We're concerned because obviously they could fall into the hands of criminals."


Cabela's spokesman David Draper confirmed that guns were missing but said he could not comment further because of the criminal investigation.


The sporting goods retailer plans to open its 230,000-square-foot store May 26 at Interstate 35W and Texas 170.


According to a police report, Cabela's workers realized some guns were missing as they moved them from storage to the new store.


They notified police and took officers back to the climate-controlled storage facility where about 1,200 guns were stored.


Officers saw no signs that the padlock had been broken, though an officer notes in the report that "there is an open space between the ceiling and the door where a slim person could fit through."


The missing guns had been left on top of two fiberglass bunkers that contained the most expensive weapons, the report states. The bunkers were locked and had not been opened.


A security camera was pointed to the ground, not at the storage sheds.


The weapons could have been missing for as long as two weeks before Saturday, Crowley said. Investigators are conducting interviews and "looking into whether this was a burglary," he said.


The ATF is notified anytime weapons are reported stolen from a federal firearms licensee such as Cabela's, Crowley said. Rarely are the thefts on this scale, he said.


"This is unusual as far as the amount missing from a particular location," Crowley said.


Cabela's, from Sidney, Neb., has turned its $1 billion mail-order business into a burgeoning retail chain with 10 locations and eight more on the way.


Company officials have said they expect the new store to attract more than 4 million visitors a year, making it the No. 1 tourist attraction in Texas.


The Fort Worth store will include a boat showroom, a trophy deer museum, gun library and a 40-foot mountain.


The City Council set up a special tax district in April that will issue $30 million worth of bonds to pay for roads, utilities and a museum and other improvements inside the store.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alex Branch, (817) 390-7689 [email protected]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/11670524.htm

 

[RRTX]

"We're trying to determine what happened to them," Crowley said. "We're concerned because obviously they could fall into the hands of criminals."

I think that since they were "Stolen", that would make them already in the hands of "criminals."

You would think that if you had 1200 firearms stored somewhere that isn't fully secure ie. a vault, that you check on them more than once in a two week period. Also, why were all these left sitting on top of the locked storage containers that the other firearms were in? Anybody else thinking that this could be an inside job? Camera pointed at the ground, locks not disturbed, etc.

 

[pete f]

this sort of "laxity" could be a prime factor in a some new law about firearms storage. That the owner was negligent for owning guns that could be stolen. just something to get your head wrapped around

 

[Drizzt]

Lot of people around here just drooling at the mouth over Cabela's finally opening in Buda. I had put in for one of the gun store positions there, and right now I'm almost glad I didn't get a callback from them for an interview.....

 

[Selfdfenz]

Guys,
There were 2 robberies and the guns were chump change!!

The City Council set up a special tax district in April that will issue $30 million worth of bonds to pay for roads, utilities and a museum and other improvements inside the store.

S-

 

[dinosaur]

Can you say "Inside Job"?

 

[280PLUS]

Inside Job

 

[Azrael256]

Can you say "Inside Job"?

Yes. Yes I can. This one sounds almost exactly like the theft of a number of cordless phones and CDs from a best buy where I once worked. No forced entry, and absolutely nothing on the cameras... until they installed the concealed one in the stockroom that caught the merch team guys stealing.

After visiting the "gun library" at the Cabela's in Kansas City, I am frankly astonished that it took 76 firearms to add up to $100k. I could've blown that much on about eight guns... and how I wanted to.

I guess the cheaper stuff is easier to fence.

 

[jobu07]

I am frankly astonished that it took 76 firearms to add up to $100k.

Same here, the math just is hard to add up. Cabellas must be stocking some TOP SHELF stuff these days At least over a grand a gun. Thinking about it more, I guess it's not that much, but how on earth do they have that many in stock of such an expensive model? I'd figure they would have your typical $250 870, or $400 700 etc.

Isn't almost always an "inside job" when guns go missing from these shoebox stores?

 

[AechKay]

Fifth Amendment for the win!

I think that since they were "Stolen", that would make them already in the hands of "criminals."

"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."

 

[RoyG]

Puts it over $1300 per gun missing. Looks like whoever did it took the very best ones.

I don't think these we will be seeing a sudden outbreak of shootings with Ruger Red Labels and Remington over/under trap guns.

The police might want to start looking at the for sale board at all the shooting clubs though.

 

[foghornl]

I figured the value at an average of $1315.79...some fairly high end stuff in there if the AVERAGE VALUE is over $1300.


Not to say for sure without all the facts, but it does sound like an "Insider's Discount Program" to me.

 

[bradvanhorn]

Inside job for sure.


AechKay - The 5th means we must have a legal process for trial and punishment. If the guns were in fact stolen (and we have no reason to assume they weren't), then those who did it committed a crime, and therefore are criminals. The police many times fail to catch petty criminals, but those people are still criminals because they did commit the crimes, whether they were caught and convicted or not. For example, my wife was robbed at gunpoint late last year. They never caught the POS that did it, but he committed the crime, and he is a criminal. We can argue the semantics all day, but just because a "criminal" hasn't been caught and convicted doesn't mean they aren't a "criminal".

 

[Greybeard]

Dallas Fox TV station this morning said "rifles, pistols and shotguns", but value was stated as "over $10,000" ...

 

[mtnbkr]

If someone cleaned out one of their gun libraries, they could get 100k's worth pretty easily.

At the one in Pa, I've seen multiple guns costing well over 5k in that gun library.

Chris

 

[Azrael256]

how on earth do they have that many in stock of such an expensive model?

I don't know, but they surely do. The one in Kansas City had several hundred of the more ordinary types of guns, but their "gun library" had something between sixty and a hundred of the much nicer pieces. Everything from the EBRs with all the doodads to gold inlaid collector pieces. I saw several price tags in the $8-10k range for some really fancy stuff. Most of the guns weren't that high, but I don't recall any of them that were under about $1500. You really could drop a hundred grand in there and walk out with about an armload.

If you've never been to Cabela's, go find one. They probably have a thousand guns in there. It's like a National Guard armory with a good selection.

 

[jobu07]

but value was stated as "over $10,000"

That makes more sense now. Regardless, I hope they track down the fellow(s) responsible and take care of this matter.

 

[Greybeard]

Quote: "Regardless, I hope they track down the fellow(s) responsible and take care of this matter."

Yep, I suspect they are on this one like stink on a skunk.

 

[dolanp]

Man I've really been looking forward to their opening this month, what a crummy way to get the ball rolling.

 

[jefnvk]

Same here, the math just is hard to add up. Cabellas must be stocking some TOP SHELF stuff these days At least over a grand a gun. Thinking about it more, I guess it's not that much, but how on earth do they have that many in stock of such an expensive model? I'd figure they would have your typical $250 870, or $400 700 etc

You guys obviously haven't been in a Cabelas Gun Library. 5 digit price tags are NOT uncommon in there. If they hit the Gun Library stash, I'm quite suprised it took 76 rifles to make $100,000.

Right here is a link: http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ...ome.jhtml?hierarchyId=10468&rid=5000117022604

Just pulling some examples from the Michigan store inventory:
New Haven Arms Henry .44RF - $45,000
Colt 1862 Police-Tiffany Gripped - $32,000
Colt 1st Gen SAA .22RF - $29,900
Westley Richards BLE .500 Nitro Express - $49,000
.22LRR Gatling Gun - $12,500

Get the idea behind the Gun Library? Rare and Exotic guns. Highly suggest you take a look someday, it is quite an impressive collection.

BTW, I held that $49,000 Henry one day. I was EXTREMELY careful not to drop, nick or dent it in any way.

EDIT: Heck, the Sidney NE store has a $165,000 Winchester 1876.

 

[jobu07]

Just pulling some examples from the Michigan store inventory:
New Haven Arms Henry .44RF - $45,000
Colt 1862 Police-Tiffany Gripped - $32,000
Colt 1st Gen SAA .22RF - $29,900
Westley Richards BLE .500 Nitro Express - $49,000
.22LRR Gatling Gun - $12,500

It still boggles my mind that this Texas branch of Cabellas would leave guns of that quality and price sitting around unattended in a trailer that easily accesible.

 

[LHB1]

Quote: "The missing guns had been left on top of two fiberglass bunkers that contained the most expensive weapons, the report states. The bunkers were locked and had not been opened."

So the MOST expensive guns were in the locked "fiberglass" bunkers and were NOT taken. Why not? Fiberglass is not that difficult to force entry. My guess is that the most expensive guns would be such uncommon items as to be difficult to sell, i.e. Purdy shotguns or some such.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

ps: Ditto "Inside Job" probability!!!!!

 

[SJG26]

"Guys,
There were 2 robberies and the guns were chump change!!
Quote:
The City Council set up a special tax district in April that will issue $30 million worth of bonds to pay for roads, utilities and a museum and other improvements inside the store."

Here in PA, Cabelas earned a 20-year/95% tax forgiveness to fund a $20-25 million bond.

AND

"Company officials have said they expect the new store to attract more than 4 million visitors a year, making it the No. 1 tourist attraction in Texas."

It's a store dammit - so this is more significant than the Alamo!!?? They said the same thing in PA and I thought - so Independence Park, The Libery Bell and all it stands for ain't squat!

Sure - the crowds will come, at first, but after the "OH WOW / cool factor" wears off , Cabelas will lay off half of the employees they hired and the locals will deal with the sprawl and development that follow the CORE STORE attraction to the demise of the "Mom & Pop" shops in town.

Dont think it can happen?? - Ask Hamburg, PA how many benefits followed!


And, while there are top shelf pieces - Cabelas charges full list for firearms....so go there to handle the huge selection - then order from your local shop once you know what you really want

 

[10MMGary]

Selfdfenz and SJG26 both scored center of bulleye hits. The initial robbery should be the real story.

 

[jefnvk]

It's a store dammit - so this is more significant than the Alamo!!??

That is what they said about the Michigan one, too. Dunno if it came true true or not, though.

As for surrounding areas, the MI store has brought in quite a few businesses. A few years ago, there was nothing by the highway in Dundee, now there is hotels, gas stations, shops, etc. And I don't imagine that it put too many mom and pops sporting goods stores out of business.