6 arrested in gun store burglary spree that stole 300 firearms in Southern California

2 months ago

Six men have been arrested and charged with being part of a group that used stolen cars to ram gun stores around Southern California and grab a total of more than 300 firearms.

The burglaries include Fowler’s Gun Room in Orange, where a group of men used a stolen Kia sedan, reversed it into the shop and stole 70 firearms early Saturday morning, federal and local law enforcement officials said.

The men are being charged with conspiracy to steal the weapons from the premises of federal firearms licensees, authorities said. They could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, said Ciaran McEvoy, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The stores were:

Chaparral Coin and Gun in Murrieta, California, on October 9, 2023, where 43 firearms were stolen,
Poway Weapons and Gear in Poway, California, on March 25, 2024, where 78 firearms were stolen,
Firearms Unknown in Oceanside, California on June 17, 2024, where 33 firearms were stolen,
Ammo Bros in Riverside, California on June 18, 2024, where 25 firearms were stolen,
Camarillo Gun Store in Camarillo, California on July 1, 2024, where 63 firearms were stolen, and
Fowler’s Gun Room in Orange, California, on July 13, 2024, where 70 firearms were stolen.

They also attempted to break in and steal firearms from additional stores from Ammo Bros in Ontario, California on June 12, 2024′ Fallbrook Guns and Ammo in Fallbrook, California on June 13, 2024, and Smokin Barrel Gun Store in Simi Valley, California on July 9, 2024, authorities said.

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The defendants are:

Cross Arjay Goree, a.k.a. “C3”, 18, of Lake Elsinore,
Caine Aiden Goree, 22, of Lake Elsinore,
Kenneth Gilmore III, a.k.a. “Kenny”, 19, of Las Vegas,
Brendan Markel Hawkins, 19, of Lake Elsinore,
Calvin Logan Gray, 18, of Murietta, and
Kendall Eric Johnson, a.k.a. “K3”, 23, of Lake Elsinore.

Cross, Caine and Johnson were arrested Saturday after officers executed a federal search warrant at a home where they lived, McEvoy said. While announcing their presence, officers said they saw Gilmore and Cross attempting to run from the back of the home. Both were later detained.

While searching the home, officers found 45 firearms that had been stolen from Fowler’s Gun Room, two firearms that had been stolen from the Camarillo Gun Store, one stolen from Chaparral Coin and Gun and one stolen from Poway Weapons and Gear, McEvoy said.

In each case, the suspects would use a stolen car, ram the storefront to get inside and then run in and smash display cases to steal the firearms.

The burglaries span about nine months.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Sheriff’s Department, and Orange Police Department are investigating.

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