BILLINGS, Mont. —-(Ammoland.com)- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering up to a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect who burglarized Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply at about 3:45 a.m., Aug. 9 2016.
About 17 handguns were taken from the store at 822 Jackrabbit Lane in Bozeman, Montana. No suspect information is available. ATF and the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office are jointly investigating the burglary.
Anyone with information should call ATF’s Billings Field Office at 406-657-9700, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office at 406-582-2100 or the ATF Tip Line at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (283-4867).
Callers to the ATF tip line can remain anonymous.
Stolen firearms in Montana:
- In 2015, 15 firearms were stolen from licensed gun dealers, a 50 percent decrease from 2014.
- 30 firearms were stolen from licensed gun dealers in 2014.
- Montana ranked 37 in the nation in 2015 for lost and stolen firearms from gun dealers.
- About 22 firearms have been stolen from licensed gun dealers in Montana in 2016.
- There are about 1,080 gun dealers (including pawn brokers) in Montana.
About ATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is a highly specialized agency within the Department of Justice whose main goal is preventing, interrupting and removing violent crime from American communities. ATF investigates and prosecutes crimes involving arson, explosives, alcohol and tobacco diversion and the illegal possession, use and trade of firearms. The Denver Field Division works with local, state and federal law enforcement and public safety organizations to combat violent crime in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Utah. For more information about ATF, visit www.atf.gov.
