Mansfield police investigate downtown gun shop break-in; suspect at large

Mansfield police are investigating a breaking and entering Monday at the Mansfield Sporting Arms downtown gun shop at 14 S. Park St., with several firearms including an AR-15 rifle and six pistols reported stolen.

According to the Mansfield police report, a concerned resident called police at 7:50 a.m. Tuesday in reference to the front door of the store being open.

Upon arrival, an officer saw that three padlocks had been pried off the door. Video surveillance was provided to officers of an unknown person entering on three separate occasions and taking several firearms to the west side of the building.

A gun magazine was left behind in the doorway. It was submitted to the crime lab, along with a crow bar.

Items stolen totaled $4,950, according to the report.

Riley Place, shop manager, said 13 firearms were stolen along with ammunition. He watched surveillance footage of the suspect breaking the locks on the business and said the man, who appeared to be 18 years old, brought a bag of tools.

Place said the suspect did the break-in in roughly 15 minutes.

Juveniles break door bell camera by throwing rock at it, shop manager says

Police responded to the business at 8:02 p.m. Tuesday, this time in refence to suspicious circumstances.

An employee of the business told officers he saw three individuals who appeared to be juveniles attempt to break into the shop. While in the area, officers located three juveniles walking away from the scene. Officers yelled at them to stop and the juveniles fled on foot. A short foot pursuit ensued but they were apprehended, according to the police report. Police said video footage showed the three juveniles attempting to break into the business.

Police said all three juveniles were handcuffed and transported to the Mansfield Police Department for questioning. The juveniles, ages 12, 12 and 13, were released to their legal guardians. A request for charges was sent to the Richland County Prosecutor's Office for review.

Place said he was able to see the juveniles on his doorbell camera throw a rock at the device and then rip it off the door.

"They were wearing masks and carrying book bags," Place said.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Guns stolen in break-in at Mansfield OH Sporting Arms