ATF offers reward in Savannah gun store break-in
HARDIN COUNTY, Tenn. — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering a reward in the investigation of a weekend gun store burglary in Savannah.
Talley’s Lock and Load, located at 1020 Wayne Road, was burglarized Saturday, with around 16 firearms reported stolen to the Savannah Police Department, according to a release from the ATF.
“They were in and out in less than 24 seconds it was that fast and that from the second they hit the door,” owner Clagett Talley said.
Savannah police received a call about three people involved in the burglary late Saturday night at the store. Police say the burglary was not random.
“This appears to be something that was very pre-planned,” Savannah Police Chief Michael Pitts said.
Talley says surveillance video shows how the suspects got into the store.
“One person came through and beat the glass with what looks like some type of heavy bar, and two people behind him came behind that first person,” he said. “They took 16 handguns.”
Talley says he’s improved the security on the store since the break-in.
“So, of course, I’m beefing up the security system. It appeared to be effective before, and it’s failed this time,” he said.
Talley and Savannah police say they want to recover those stolen guns as soon as possible to prevent those items from getting into the wrong hands.
“It is the product that I’m selling. It’s not like something you want to just go anywhere,” Talley said.
“That’s alarming to us in law enforcement throughout West Tennessee because if this is a some kind of crime ring or something that’s starting up, we want to make sure that we are getting this information out,” Pitts said.
The ATF is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms industry, will match the reward for a total of up to $5,000.
Anyone with information should contact the ATF at 888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477) or the Savannah Police Department at 731-925-4989.
Information can also be sent to ATFTips@atf.gov or through the ATF’s website at www.atf.gov/contact/atftips. Tips can be submitted anonymously using the Reportit app, available from both Google Play and the Apple App store, or by visiting www.reportit.com.
