Lehi, UT - Police Car Stolen from Utah Co. Sheriff's Deputy - Shotgun - Assault Rifle - Laptop - Spike Strips Missing

 

April 24, 2007042407 Lehi stolen cop car 01

The Dailey Herald

ASHLEY FRANSCELL/Daily Herald Lehi police Sgt. Jeff Swenson speaks to media about a police car that was stolen from in front of an officer's home on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 in Lehi. The car was gutted of weapons, a laptop computer, a defibulator, spike strips and several other police equipment


A shotgun and assault rifle are missing after a vehicle belonging to a Utah County Sheriff's deputy was burglarized Tuesday morning in Lehi.

Although several items were stolen, Lehi Police Sgt. Jeff Swenson said police are concerned most about the missing guns.

The missing weapons are a 14-inch, 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun and semi-automatic .223-caliber Heckler-Koch G36 assault rifle. They are for police and military use only, and the burglar could face federal charges for possessing them, Swenson said.

"There's a huge concern as far as the weapons are concerned," Swenson said.

Police don't have a suspect, but Swenson said evidence had been gathered and was being processed.

The locked vehicle was parked in front of the deputy's home in Lehi. Deputy Wade Berry said he went to bed at midnight and at 7:30 a.m. he received a call from city employees passing by his home telling him that the windows in his patrol vehicle were broken. The car didn't have an alarm.

The vehicle was cleaned out, Swenson said, of "all of the things that we need for law enforcement."

That includes a laptop computer, which has a software program police use to search for personal information, including license plate data. However, the burglar would need the login to connect.

Swenson said it would be difficult to access the computer's data because the login is complicated.

Also reported stolen were stinger spike strips, a state gas card, a Utah County gas card, first-aid kit, portable breath test, camera, fingerprint kit, a flashlight, fire extinguisher, defibrillator and police paperwork.

Berry said he felt violated after the theft.

Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Harris said Berry was targeted.

"I do believe they had been watching his home," Harris said. "It was obvious because of the footprints down the side of his home, they were checking to see if he was awake or not."

Because the burglary happened in Lehi, that city's police department is handling the investigation. Harris added that the Sheriff's office is pleased with the detective work in the case.

Harris said there is a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible. If anyone has any information, call the Lehi Police Department at 768-7110.

Back