By Kathy Adams
The Virginian-Pilot
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Police are investigating the theft of a semi automatic rifle, a shotgun and ammunition from the trunk of a Chesapeake police officer’s personal vehicle.
On Tuesday night, the officer, who lives off South Lynnhaven Road in Virginia Beach, locked the firearms in his trunk, said Officer Jimmy Barnes, a police spokesman. Later that night or early Wednesday , someone broke into the vehicle through a window, popped open the trunk and stole them, he said.
The thief made off with a semi automatic rifle, 60 rounds of rifle ammunition, a rifle case, a Remington shotgun with five rounds, and a nylon bag — worth a total of $2,170, according to a police report filed online.
The Chesapeake Police Department issued the firearms to the officer, who was permitted by department policy to take them home, said Officer Dorienne Boykin, a department spokeswoman.
Boykin would not say whether the officer is a patrol officer or a member of a specialized team like SWAT.
But on the Virginia Beach Police Department, typically only SWAT officers are allowed to take home weapons like those stolen from the Chesapeake officer, Barnes said. That’s to ensure a quick response in emergencies, he said. Qualified patrol officers may check out weapons like those for use during their shift.
Virginia Beach detectives are investigating the theft and have entered the firearms’ serial numbers into the national stolen gun registry, Barnes said.
The Chesapeake officer secured the guns appropriately, Boykin said.
“This is an unfortunate incident,” she said. “This may cause us to review the practice of how we safeguard weapons in vehicles.”
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