33 guns stolen from Turlock Gun Show at Stanislaus County Fairgrounds
By Orko Manna
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TURLOCK, California (KCRA) — Thieves stole dozens of guns from a gun show at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds over the weekend, according to the Turlock Police Department.
Police said two people took 33 guns from the same vendor. Dominique Sanchez, a public affairs analyst with Turlock police, said the thieves broke into the event center building through a bathroom window around 4:30 a.m. Sunday, and then they confronted two security guards at gunpoint.
“Two unarmed security guards that were securing the fairgrounds facility for the gun show were basically approached by two masked individuals wearing dark clothing, and they had a gun and pointed it at them,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez said deputies helped Turlock police create a perimeter around the area, and then authorities used special resources to try and catch the culprits.
“We deployed a drone, an indoor drone, to first go into the building to see if there were any individuals in there. Then a K-9 was sent in there. He didn’t detect anything, and so that’s when officers and deputies did an interior search of the building and did not locate anybody,” Sanchez said.
The thieves got away, but police said a ski mask was found outside. Officials sent that ski mask to the justice department for DNA testing.
Police said the burglars took all 33 handguns from the same vendor. They attempted to take a 34th gun, but that firearm was recovered at the scene. Authorities entered the information of the stolen guns into the Automated Firearms System, a statewide database that compiles guns sold and transferred at licensed firearms dealers in California.
“So, if anyone were to be caught with them, they would be linked to this case,” Sanchez said.
KCRA 3 reached out to the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds marketing team to learn more about the incident. A spokesperson did not want to talk but said that the gun show organizers were in charge of the event security.
KCRA 3 connected with the event promoter, California Gun Shows LLC, but it said it was unavailable for comment about the safety measures they put in place.
Police are still searching for the two people believed to be responsible for the thefts. According to officials, there was no surveillance footage of the incident. The only description authorities have of the two suspects is that they are around six feet tall, heavier set, and were wearing masks and dark clothing at the time of the incident. Anyone with any information should contact Turlock police.
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