Selfies Help Investigators Track Down Suspected Gun Thief
BRIGHTON, Colo. (CBS4) - Investigators say a series of selfies helped track down a suspected Denver metro area gun thief.
Jay Martinez, known as Viet Trin, is allegedly connected to some of the smash and grabs at gun stores CBS4 has been reporting on over the past year. ATF agents say more than 200 firearms have already been stolen in 2017, which is on track to pass last year's number of 273.
Trin, 18, is a suspect in two burglaries and is also accused of helping burglars who were involved in other smash and grabs.
Investigators say Trin listed the guns for sale on Facebook using some selfies in which he was armed with the stolen weapons.
"Stupid people do stupid things, and that's why they get caught. And that is a prime example," said Jacob McIntosh, who works at a gun shop called South Platte Tactical in Brighton.
McIntosh says Trin's arrest led investigators to some of the firearms stolen from his store recently, but not all of them. At this point he hasn't gotten any of those stolen guns back.
State Sen. Rhonda Fields, a Democrat from Aurora, says the spike in gun store crimes is a concern and she's considering introducing legislation that requires enhanced security.
"Business owners as well as lawmakers need to be looking at what do we need to do to safeguard the public," Fields said.
McIntosh says no amount of required security is going to deter a desperate criminal.
"We have reinforced the security. In fact, all the gun stores I know in Colorado have reinforced substantially," he said.
Gun thieves robbed a Cabela's in Thornton on Tuesday. The ATF is offering up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest in that case.
