SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Two teenagers who police believe tried to break into gun stores nine separate times are accused of stealing 56 firearms during late-night break-ins in Macomb, Livingston, Lenawee and Ingham counties.
Brandon McClure, 18, and Daniel Rae, 19, are accused of stealing or unlawfully taking or carrying away any firearm from a federal firearms licensee, according to court records.
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Not Just Guns break-in attempts
Officials with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the first in this string of break-ins happened at 3:17 a.m. Sept. 3 at the Not Just Guns store located at 411 North Cedar Street in Mason, Michigan.
Three people broke into the store through the back of the building and stole one gun, officials said.
Police said two people tried to break into the store at 4:46 p.m. Oct. 3 and 4:02 a.m. Nov. 5. The attempts failed and no firearms were stolen, according to authorities.
Three people returned to the store Nov. 20, officials said. One person was armed with a shotgun and fired two shots into the store to try to get inside, court records show.
Authorities said they couldn’t get inside, so the three individuals left.
All four incidents were captured on surveillance cameras, officials said. In each video, the thieves wore dark clothing with hoods tied tight around their faces, police said.
Not Just Guns employees reviewed surveillance footage after the fourth incident and told Ingham County deputies and ATF agents that they believed they had video footage of the trio from Nov. 18, court records show.
The Nov. 18 surveillance video showed McClure, Rae and a juvenile arriving at the store in a blue Dodge Avenger, authorities said. The Avenger appeared to have a specialized license plate logo on the left side, according to officials.
Video showed the three entering the store and speaking with an employee for about 10 minutes while looking at a few items, police said.
Rae was wearing glasses and an Ohio State sweatshirt, officials said. The ATF agent handling the case said he has seen Rae and believes he was one of the people in the surveillance footage. Rae was also wearing the same Ohio State sweatshirt when the agent saw him, according to authorities.
McClure was wearing a blue shirt, and the ATF agent said he believes McClure is also one of the people caught on surveillance video.
Not Just Guns employees told police they believe Rae, McClure and the juvenile are the three who broke into the store and tried to break in three more times.
Shelby Township break-in
Patriots Ammo and Arms LLC was targeted at 4:25 a.m. Dec. 1, officials said.
Someone broke into the store, which is located at 25122 Van Dyke Avenue in Shelby Township, and took 12 firearms, according to authorities.
Fowlerville break-in
Three people were caught on surveillance video at 1:31 a.m. Dec. 11 breaking into Titus Kustoms LLC at 731 South Grand Avenue in Fowlerville, court records show.
Police said the trio stole 17 firearms.
The physical builds of the thieves matched those of the thieves from Not Just Guns, according to court records.
Officers said they found a pair of blue latex gloves lying on top of snow outside the store.
Rae pulled over in Avenger
The ATF agent in charge of the case learned Friday that Rae had been pulled over by a Michigan State Police trooper on Sept. 27. His home address was listed in the 500 block of Oakhill Avenue in Jackson, Michigan, officials said.
Rae had been driving a blue 2010 Dodge Avenger with a Michigan license plate and a University of Michigan logo on the plate, according to authorities. The Avenger was registered to someone who lives in Leslie, Michigan, according to police.
The plate on the Avenger was changed Nov. 20, according to Michigan vehicle records.
Attempted break-in at Jackson store
Surveillance videos at Action Discount Pawn -- located at 625 Shirley Drive in Jackson -- showed Rae shopping at the store, officials said.
He drove into the parking in a blue Dodge Avenger with a dent in the driver’s side rear panel, according to authorities.
Addison break-in
Three people broke into Semper Fi Guns and Ammo -- located at 148 Mason Street in Addison, Michigan -- at 1:47 a.m. Saturday by kicking in the back door, police said.
They stole 26 firearms, officials said.
Surveillance video showed two of the thieves breaking into the handgun counter, according to court records.
Attempted break-in at Adrian store
Three people tried to burglarize Johnson’s Sporting Goods -- located at 3654 North Adrian Highway in Adrian -- around 2:50 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.
Police said the thieves tried to kick in the door, but failed.
McClure, juvenile arrested
Officers were called at 1:58 a.m. Wednesday to Men of Arms, located at 103 Morrell Street in Charlotte, Michigan, due to an attempted break-in, court records show.
When police arrived, they saw McClure and a juvenile running away and took them into custody, according to authorities.
A pair of blue latex gloves were found at the scene, officers said.
Officers watch Rae, McClure
From Friday to Tuesday, officers had been conducting surveillance of Rae and McClure, police said.
Rae was seen at locations in the 300 block of Railroad Street in Leslie, Michigan, the 500 block of Oakhill Avenue in Jackson and the 900 block of Backus Street in Jackson, according to authorities.
McClure was seen at locations in the 5300 block of Ridgewood Vista Drive in Jackson and the 900 block of Backus Street in Jackson, court records show.
Items found during four search warrants
Police conducted search warrants at the five locations listed above.
At the Railroad Street address, officers found two black hooded sweatshirts, Timberland boots and blue jeans that matched the clothes worn by thieves in the surveillance videos, authorities said.
At the Oakhill Avenue address, police found blue latex gloves, price tags for firearms from Patriot Ammo and Arms, a firearm that had been reported stolen from Semper Fi Guns and Ammo, the identification of the juvenile arrested in Charlotte and paperwork addressed to Rae, according to court records.
When officers searched the Backus Street location, they found 26 price tags from Semper Fi Guns and Ammo, 17 price tags from Titus Kustoms in Fowlerville and three price tags from Ralph’s Gun Shopt in Stockbridge, Michigan, officials said.
During the search on Ridgewood Vista Drive, authorities said they found two handguns that had been reported stolen from Semper Fi Guns, a headlamp flashlight that matched the one used by thieves in surveillance videos and a Michigan ID card for McClure, court records show.
Charges
The criminal complaint alleges there is probable cause that McClure and Rae conspired to steal firearms from a federal firearms licensee.