$10,000 reward for information on 70-firearm robbery of Bellevue’s West Coast Armory

Four semiautomatic rifles were among those taken

January 2, 2018 11:40 am
$10,000 reward for information on 70-firearm robbery of Bellevue’s West Coast Armory

Following the robbery of 70 firearms from a Bellevue gun shop and shooting range, national agencies are offering a $10,000 reward for information on the suspects.

The robbery occurred on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017 at West Coast Armory, 13216 SE 32nd St, Bellevue.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms industry, said if anyone can provide information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the the people responsible, they’ll each offer $5,000.

Three suspects wearing hooded sweatshirts and/or jackets, gloves and face coverings broke into the gun store, backing a stolen car through the front of the business at about 3 a.m. that day. The three took about 70 firearms, the vast majority being handguns. Four semiautomatic rifles were taken as well as one short-barreled rifle and a sound suppressor, sometimes known as a “silencer.”

Police recovered the vehicle used to gain entry into the store a short distance away after being abandoned by the three suspects. Other suspects may have been involved in helping the three flee the scene.

This reward is part of a larger national cooperative initiative between the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in which the foundation matches the bureau’s rewards in cases involving the theft of firearms from federally licensed retailers. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives works closely with the members of the firearms industry to curb the criminal acquisition and misuse of firearms and is the federal agency with jurisdiction over violations of federal firearms laws.

Leave a tip:

Anyone with information about the person or persons responsible and/or information leading to the recovery of the stolen firearms should contact the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (888-283-8477), email ATFTips@atf.gov, or contact the agency through www.atf.gov/contact/atftips. Tips may also be submitted to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives using the ReportIt® app, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, or by visiting www.reportit.com. All calls and tips will be kept confidential. Online tips can also be given to the Bellevue police at https://police.bellevuewa.gov/report-and-prevent-crime/report-a-crime-online.