Seattle Police recently made a seizure of over 60 firearms, a large amount of body armor, and ammunition while investigating a string of burglaries. The first burglary resulted in the theft of 17 firearms, as well as a number of tactical items. Witnesses tied the suspect to an older car, which is how police tracked the man down. Officers had suspicion that the man was carrying stolen items and found them in his car. After police had obtained a warrant for the man's home, they made the discovery: 68 firearms, body armor, as well as necessary ammunition. The man also had in his home knives, tactical gear, a Rolex watch, camera equipment, and shields. At the time of the report, investigators were still trying to figure out what the man was planning to do with the weaponry, however he remains in custody for the initial suspected theft.

At the time of the new report, the police could only link him to the burglary and theft of 17 firearms, with some other items. The remaining firearms, tactical gear, ammunition, and shields will remain a part of a police seizure until they are able to track down where they came from, or some is able to claim them.

Theft of a Firearm

If found guilty, the man will be facing not only burglary charges, but also charges for theft of a firearm. In Washington State, there is specific legislature that outlaws stealing another person's firearms. Theft of a firearm is defined in RCW 9A.56.300. The statute reads:

"(1) A person is guilty of theft of a firearm if he or she commits a theft of any firearm.

(2) This section applies regardless of the value of the firearm taken in the theft.

(3) Each firearm taken in the theft under this section is a separate offense."

Theft of a firearm is also a class B felony. Class B felonies are punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $20000. This means that if convicted, the man could be facing a tremendous amount of prison time, as well as skyrocketing fines. It should be noted that theft of a firearm is a charge that will follow in addition to the burglary charges that he will face as well. With all of this put together, if this man is found guilty, his prison time will skyrocket. Theft of a firearm can be a difficult crime to defend against, as the statute is broad, and does not leave room for argument of intent or value. On top of this, theft of a firearm does not have any lower crimes to make a plea for during the plea bargaining process. When facing charges like these, sometimes the best chance is a trial.

If you or a loved one is currently facing charges for burglary or theft of a firearm, don't wait until it's too late. Contact criminal defense attorney Steve Karimi today.