Facebook/South End Guns & Pawn
A reward is now being offered for information that will lead to the arrest of those responsible for ramming into an Atoka pawn shop and stealing 169 guns over the weekend.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms industry, have announced a combined reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those individuals who are responsible for the burglary of the South End Gun and Pawn LLC, located at 14382 Hwy. 51 North in Atoka.
At approximately 1 a.m. Saturday morning, an Atoka police officer on routine patrol near the shop saw a blue pickup truck backed up to the building. As the officer pulled into the parking lot, the truck drove off, resulting in a high-speed pursuit into Shelby County.
The suspects, whom police say rammed the side of the shop in order to break in and steal the firearms, got away. The suspect’s vehicle is a blue pickup, possibly a GMC, with rear-end damage.
The Atoka Police Department is collaborating closely with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to address this incident,” said police chief Anthony Rudolph.
“Presently, no arrests have been made, and this remains an active and ongoing investigation.”
Anyone with information pertaining to this incident is asked to call the Atoka Police Department at 901-837-5302, the ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS, or submit information anonymously at www.Reportit.com.
This is at least the fourth in a series of smash-and-grab burglaries in Tipton County in recent months. In Covington, Bradford Pharmacy, Brasfield Jewelers, and Whiskey Business have also been hit.
$10k isn’t enough for someone to flip. There is more money than that in guns!