Arrest Made in Licensed Gun Dealer Burglary

All 23 Firearms Recovered

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mark W. Potter, Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), today announced the arrest of Justin Carroll in connection with the Jan. 7 theft of 23 handguns from Delmont Sports Shop, Delmont, Pa.

ATF special agents arrested Carroll, 27, on Jan. 8 at his residence in the 400 block of Schoolhouse Road South, Jeanette, Pa., without incident. Carroll has been charged with one count of Theft of Firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer. During his Jan. 9 initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge in Pittsburgh, Carroll was released on $10,000 unsecured bond and restricted to home confinement.

The criminal complaint alleges that Carroll broke a window and then a display case of the gun shop with a baseball bat, stole 23 handguns and then later that evening went on to burglarize two additional businesses. The weapons were recovered the same day after a consent search of his residence. Upon recovery of the weapons, Carroll replied, "You got me."

"The cooperation among agencies in this investigation has been exemplary," noted Potter. "From the crucial forensic work done by the Westmoreland County detectives to the investigative work conducted by members of the Murrysville and Delmont Police Departments and the ATF special agents, all 23 firearms were recovered in less than 30 hours.

"Anytime guns are stolen, the region is placed at risk," Potter said. "Illegal guns move swiftly, and when in the hands of violent criminals, not only is Westmoreland County threatened, but also Allegheny County and all of western Pennsylvania."