Person County investigation uncovers hundreds of stolen guns taken from estate
ROXBORO, N.C. -- The Person County Sheriff's Office is investigating the theft of hundreds of firearms authorities say were unlawfully taken from an estate and later sold under false pretenses.
Investigators have recovered about 700 firearms believed to have been taken without authorization, the sheriff's office said in a statement Friday. The suspect told buyers the guns had been inherited from an estate and were being sold legally.
Detectives later determined the firearms were stolen, and several have been linked to weapon thefts previously reported in other jurisdictions, officials said.
So far, six victims have been identified. The sheriff's office said the investigation is continuing as deputies work to locate more potential victims and recover any firearms that may still be circulating.
Because the case is ongoing, authorities are releasing limited information to protect the integrity of the investigation.
The sheriff's office is asking anyone who recently purchased a firearm from someone claiming the weapons came from a large estate inheritance to contact its Criminal Investigative Division at (336) 5970500.
