Area gun store is burglay victim

By Helen Davis
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Thieves broke into a gun store in downtown Grants and made off with a number of firearms late Friday.

Loeffler's Guns, Etc. on West Santa Fe Avenue reported 12 long guns and an unknown number of knives missing when owner David Loeffler came to work Saturday morning.

Sometime Friday night or Saturday morning, an unknown number of burglars disabled the alarm system, gained access to the roof, and cut back roofing material to enter the building. The total loss was approximately $6,700 in stock, depending on the final inventory of knives.

Grants Police officers were called to the scene, but were unavailable for comment over the weekend.

Missing firearms include:

• Baikal Express over/under .223 Remington cartridge rifle, with telescope, serial number 0125101219B;
• Harrington and Richardson Pardner break-action 20-gauge shotgun, serial number HX201104;
• Ruger 10/22 semi-automatic .22LR cartridge rifle, serial number 259-49690;
• Maverick 88 pump-action 12-gauge shotgun, serial number MV84624L;
• Ruger 10/22 .22LR cartridge semi-automatic rifle with Adams & Bennet fluted barrel and Fajen adjustable stock, serial number 259-13003;
• Mossberg Silver Reserve break action 12-gauge shotgun, serial number TR12041626;
• Mossberg Silver Reserve break action 20-gauge shotgun, serial number TR20014376;
• Weatherby Vanguard bolt-action .300 Weatherby cartridge rifle, with 3-9x40 telescope, serial number VS18191998;
• Benelli Nova pump-action 12-gauge shotgun, with Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation markings, serial number Z409471;
• Bushmaster A3 Superlight .223 Remington cartridge semi-automatic flat-top rifle, has carry handle, serial number L466077;
• Ruger M77 Hawkeye bolt-action 30/06 cartridge rifle, serial number 710-39128;
• GAMO Nitro 17 .177 calibre spring-piston air rifle, no serial number.

Persons with information about any of these firearms or suspicious activity or individuals should contact the Grants Police at 287-2984 or Crime Stoppers for anonymous tips at 287-8400.