Sheriff’s officials are reviewing firearm-storage procedures after the theft of an assault weapon that was issued to a Jefferson County SWAT officer.
The officer was off-duty at a sports bar with other SWAT members when an HK MP5 submachine gun was stolen from the cab of his truck.
“We are concerned about a weapon of any kind in the hands of someone other than law enforcement,” said Jacki Kelley, sheriff’s spokeswoman. “We are concerned about the circumstances surrounding the theft. We need to see if we need to change our policy and procedures to make it safer.”
The SWAT officer was required to have the weapon in his possession in case he was called to duty. Kelley said there is no reason to believe the officer acted inappropriately.
Lakewood police are still trying to find the weapon.
The theft occurred after the officer parked his truck outside Jackson’s All-American Sports Grill on Feb. 21, said Lakewood police spokesman Steve Davis.
The sports bar is across the street from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the State Patrol at 675 Kipling St.
The officer locked his Ford pickup in the parking lot about 6 p.m., but when he walked outside the sports bar at 8:20 p.m., he noticed his truck had been broken into, Davis said.
Miscellaneous SWAT gear also was taken along with the gun, which was stored in a case inside the cab of the pickup, Davis said.
Lakewood police and Jefferson County sheriff’s officials declined to specify what other gear was stolen or how the truck was broken into, citing the ongoing investigation.
Five people who were at the bar are being questioned about the incident, but Davis said they are not considered suspects.
The firearm, manufactured by Heckler & Koch, is sold only for police and military use. Some models can fire up to 800 rounds per minute, but police declined to say if the stolen gun was fully automatic.
Theft of guns from officers is common across the country, Kelley said.
“Some officers carry their weapons on their person 24 hours a day,” she said. “That is supported by the agencies we work for. We are just as susceptible to theft as any other person.”
Kelley said the department does not believe that the officer was targeted or followed prior to the theft.
Staff writer Felisa Cardona can be reached at 303-954-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com.
