ATF Offers Reward in Gun Store Burglary

ATF, Tipton County Sheriff’s Office and the firearms industry seek the public’s help in Atoka firearms theft

ATOKA, Tenn. — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in conjunction with the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, have announced a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction for those responsible for the theft of firearms from McFarland’s Gun Shop, a federal firearm licensee (FFL).

On Sept. 27, 2016, McFarland’s Gun Shop, 10021 Old Memphis Road, Atoka, was burglarized and approximately 21 firearms were reported stolen to the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office. ATF industry operations investigators are in the process of conducting an inventory to determine the exact number of firearms stolen.

ATF is offering the reward in the amount of up to $2,500, which will be matched by the NSSF for a total reward of up to $5,000. This reward is part of a larger national cooperative initiative between the NSSF and ATF in which NSSF matches ATF’s reward in cases involving the theft of firearms from federally licensed firearms retailers. ATF works closely with members of the firearm industry to curb the criminal acquisition and misuse of firearms.

Anyone with information about this crime should contact the ATF at (800) ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office tip line at (901) 475-3307.   Information can also be sent to ATF via the mobile app www.reportit.com (link is external) by using the Nashville field division as the location.