Multiple burglars broke into Al’s Army Navy Store just outside of Orlando early this morning, but were apparently forced to flee without their stolen goods when police responded to the store’s monitored security system.
The Stanford store carries of a variety of camping supplies, outdoor apparel and, most attractive to burglars, firearms. The crooks gathered up at least five guns – four pistols and a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle – and were headed for the back door when they saw approaching police lights. They dropped the stash and made their retreat.
It’s possible the gang got away with something, but an initial inventory review led the store manager to say at most they may have managed one or two handguns. A comprehensive inventory is underway to confirm whether any guns are truly missing.
Police are reviewing recordings from the store’s surveillance cameras in hopes they captured identifying features of the burglars or other valuable clues.
This is the second break in at this Al’s Army Navy location in recent months. Burglars also entered the store in late summer, but were scared away by the alarm system siren. In September, the chain’s Altamonte Springs location was the victim of a burglary through which 46 handguns and multiple rifles and shotguns were stolen, adding to a rash of stolen guns in the Orlando area.
Stolen guns place the public at increased risk for violent and property crimes. In 2012, nearly 13,000 firearms were stolen in Florida. To protect your home and family, a home security system is a wise investment. In a recent study, a majority of convicted burglars identified alarm systems as a major crime deterrent.
