Pennsylvania State Police investigating attempted break-in at Mercer County gun shop
STONEBORO, Pa. (KDKA) — An investigation is underway after a local gun store owner says several people tried breaking into Griffin Arms in Mercer County on Sunday.
Surveillance videos show every second as five people worked to break into the gun shop early Sunday morning.
"I don't know if they were juveniles or what, they seem to be young, but yeah, they spent about 45 minutes trying to break into my store," owner Joshua Clark said.
Seen in all black, wearing face masks and gloves, the individuals appear to have used several tools to pry open the store's front door around 5 a.m. before taking off, but not before leaving a trail of evidence behind.
"Somebody cut their hand and left a bunch of blood at the scene. PSP Forensics came out, and they collected a bunch of DNA. I think there was a stick of deodorant that they left there, too, funny enough, that must have fallen out of their car, so and some other random things that had spilled into the parking lot," Clark said.
Clark says in the 10 years he's been open, this is the first time someone tried breaking in, and says police believe the individuals are from the Pittsburgh area.
This comes less than a month after Allegheny Arms and Gun Works in Bethel Park was broken into. The suspects there were in and out within minutes, also breaking in the early morning hours.
And last Aprii, Seconds Count Gun Shop in Mercer County saw someone drive a truck into the front of the store to get the guns inside.
Clark says other gun store owners should remain vigilant and hopes whoever is thinking about breaking into his store or someone else's should reconsider.
"I think that'd be a really poor decision, especially now. It puts everybody on high alert. People in the gun industry are, you know, very motivated individuals for personal protection, and it's our property and it's our livelihood, and when you start messing with that, bad things can happen for sure," Clark said.
KDKA-TV has reached out to state police to learn more but has not heard back yet.
