Brewer thanks officers who solved gun theft
Wednesday, March 19, 2008

When two people broke into Maine Military Supply on outer Wilson Street in April 2007 and walked out with 16 handguns and rifles, police officers worked tirelessly to solve the case, Police Chief Perry Antone said Tuesday.

For their efforts, five policemen and one prosecutor were honored Tuesday night by the City Council.

"That was a theft of a whole bunch of high-powered weapons," Antone said. "This was an alarming event. In a fairly short period of time the weapons" were recovered and the criminals were arrested.

The April 23 break-in at the military supply store took place a week after the killings at Virginia Tech, and guns similar to the ones used in the campus shooting were taken, Antone stressed.

"We had school officials that were on edge, we had parents that were on edge," he said of the climate at the time.

The City Council honored Brewer police Capt. Jason Moffitt and Detective Sgt. Jay Munson, Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department Detective Robert Jordan, Bangor police Detective Eric Tall and Special Agent Brent McSweyn of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

"It’s their efforts that brought this to the conclusion that they did," Antone told the council.

Each was given a plaque for their work in solving the federal firearms case, and Antone also took time to pay homage to Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Casey, who prosecuted the case.

"I just want to let you all know that all five of the officers did a tremendous job," Casey said, adding that the men also were honored by the U.S. District Attorney earlier in the day.

The audience at the council meeting gave the officers and the prosecutor a standing ovation.

Part of a copyright article from the Bangor Daily News, Wednesday, March 19, 2008.