guns supposedly "disposed" by ATF stolen from their facility

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M-Quigley
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guns supposedly "disposed" by ATF stolen from their facility

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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-de ... -firearms/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Authorities have one suspect in custody, who they've identified as Christopher Lee Yates. Reached by CBS News Tuesday evening, Yates was distraught, repeatedly saying, "It's me against the government." He referred questions about his arrest to his attorney and said he was cooperating in the investigation.

According to court documents, officials found "a firearm concealed in a book bag on the front passenger seat floorboard" when they searched Yates' vehicle on March 1.

Agents later determined the pistol had a serial number on it. The ATF computer system confirmed the firearm had been listed as "disposed" by the ATF's National Disposal Branch on August 2017.

Efforts to track down any more stolen firearms intensified over the weekend. On Sunday night, officials sent a communication urging stepped up efforts to locate any stolen firearms from the facility. They were concerned buyers may not know where they originated.

ATF spokeswoman April Langwell confirmed the contractor who was involved was "quickly removed" and a criminal investigation has begun.
According to an inspector general report released in March 2018, the destruction of firearms and ammunition is supposed to be "witnessed by an ATF Special Agent and a credentialed employee or contractor who then signs a report of destruction certifying that the firearm has been destroyed."
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Bruenor
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Re: guns supposedly "disposed" by ATF stolen from their faci

Post by Bruenor »

And the investigation expands.. Must be some pretty poor security and destruction procedures if the guy could cart of THOUSANDS of firearms/firearms parts.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/inv ... 425467001/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
ATF agents across the country have been working to track down thousands of guns and firearms parts that had been seized by law enforcement and were supposed to be destroyed but were stolen first, according to sources familiar with the effort.

The agents are searching for some of their own retired service weapons as well as guns from other federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and DEA.

All of the weapons had been sent to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' National Firearms and Ammunition Destruction Branch in Martinsburg, West Virginia, to be shredded, according to court documents and congressional letters.

A longtime guard at the ATF facility has admitted to carting off thousands of firearms, gun parts and ammunition and selling them over several years.
The ATF has recovered more than 4,000 guns and parts that had been reported missing while Yates worked there, according to Yates' plea agreement.
The agency is still not publicly saying how many guns and gun parts have been taken, only disclosing that the loss was "significant."
The ATF has assigned a team to look into how Yates was able to brazenly steal the weapons and parts for years. They also are examining why a number of the guns were listed as being destroyed when they had not been.
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Re: guns supposedly "disposed" by ATF stolen from their faci

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