40 guns stolen from Oak Forest gun range, police search for 4 suspects

OAK FOREST, Ill. (WLS) -- Oak Forest police said at least 40 firearms were stolen from a gun range early Friday morning.

Police said around 4:30 a.m., they responded to a glass break alarm at the Eagle Sports Range at 5900 W. 159th Street. Police said the business was closed at the time and no one was inside.

When they arrived, police said they saw that a large cinder block was used to break a window at the gun range.

Security footage showed three black male suspects wearing backpacks entering the gun range and taking the firearms. Police said the suspects arrived and left in an unknown blue vehicle driven by a fourth suspect.

"No 24 hour security in there. They should have been aware of that. It happens everywhere. I don't get it," Michael Considine, an Oak Forest Resident, said.

The range owner declined to comment on Friday.

"It's scary to me. If those guns are in the wrong hands, then that's dangerous," Rupert, an Eagle Sports Range customer, said.

"Whoever did this, just catch them before they cause any more problems," Jerry Kandziorski said.

The gun range and store just opened to much fanfare last year. Some residents were pleased to see it move in.

"You drive by there since it opened and the parking lot is filled. Made a lot of neighbors happy too because we figured things were controlled," Joan Cray, an Oak Forest resident, said.

However, some residents are worried.

"I want to feel safe in the town I just moved into, " Richard Lehman, an Oak Forest resident, said.

Agent David Coulson with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the investigation is in the primarily stages of the investigation. He said thieves are targeting more gun businesses.

"Unfortunately, there's been an uptick of burglaries, thefts and robberies from federal firearms licensees in the last year. There was about a 30 percent increase in 2016 versus 2015," Agent Coulson said.

The police chief said he is going to release the surveillance video to other law enforcement agencies and, if necessary, to the public.