Interesting local news story.......
Fire uncovers stolen weapons
By Christy Strawser
Macomb Daily Staff Writer
A Christmas Eve fire helped uncover a cache of weapons in Rochester Hills and the discovery has Oakland and Macomb County sheriff's deputies working together to determine the link with this summer's gun theft from Gibraltar Trade Center.
Thirty-nine shotguns, assault rifles, pistols and revolvers, plus several ammunition magazines, were found in a Rochester Hills house along with night vision goggles and a bullet-proof vest stolen from Detroit's Violent Crimes Task Force.
Police arrested Leo Vulijevic, 33, and his wife Valentina Vulijevic, 29, who were apparently at home when a fire broke out at their Rochester Hills residence at 9:45 a.m. on Dec. 24. Firefighters who responded to the blaze found the weapons cache and notified police.
Two of the shotguns were traced to a heist this August at Gibraltar Trade Center where 40 shotguns, muzzle loaders and handguns were stolen from a storage site in the parking lot of the facility on North River Road in Mount Clemens. Thieves broke a padlock on the trailer during the off-hours of a popular gun and knife show.
"We're working in conjunction with the Macomb County Sheriff's Department," said Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McCabe. "We're definitely in contact."
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the trade center thieves.
It's unknown what caused the fire, but firefighters immediately noticed two long guns and four to five handguns in a bedroom. A bulletproof vest with the word "police" emblazoned on the back was behind the bedroom door, police said.
Oakland County deputies said they tried to question Valentina Vulijevic, who is a naturalized American citizen and her husband, who is a legal alien, but the couple refused to answer police questions at the advice of their attorney.
They were arrested after the sheriff's office contacted the Detroit Police Violent Crimes task Force and verified the vest and night vision equipment were stolen from one of their officers.
Now, both counties are working with ATF to determine where each of the weapons came from and how they ended up in the house. One weapon was traced to a theft in Charlevoix, another to an apartment theft in Clinton Township, and a third to a burglary in Cheboygan.
"Our experience with firearms that are stolen is they're stolen for one purpose and that is to go on the black market, and most often these are traded for drugs, sold for a profit," said Vera Fedorak, a spokeswoman for the ATF in Detroit.
The Vulijevics were both charged with five counts of receiving and concealing stolen firearms, which is a 10-year felony, five counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, a two-year felony, and one count of stolen property more than $1,000 and less than $20,000, which is a five-year felony.
They were arraigned Thursday in Rochester Hills District Court, where he was given a $100,000 bond and she received a $75,000 bond. They both face a preliminary examination at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 8.
Sheriff's deputies say the couple may face more charges as the investigation continues
http://macombdaily.com/stories/122907/loc_n2001.shtml
Don
By Christy Strawser
Macomb Daily Staff Writer
A Christmas Eve fire helped uncover a cache of weapons in Rochester Hills and the discovery has Oakland and Macomb County sheriff's deputies working together to determine the link with this summer's gun theft from Gibraltar Trade Center.
Thirty-nine shotguns, assault rifles, pistols and revolvers, plus several ammunition magazines, were found in a Rochester Hills house along with night vision goggles and a bullet-proof vest stolen from Detroit's Violent Crimes Task Force.
Police arrested Leo Vulijevic, 33, and his wife Valentina Vulijevic, 29, who were apparently at home when a fire broke out at their Rochester Hills residence at 9:45 a.m. on Dec. 24. Firefighters who responded to the blaze found the weapons cache and notified police.
Two of the shotguns were traced to a heist this August at Gibraltar Trade Center where 40 shotguns, muzzle loaders and handguns were stolen from a storage site in the parking lot of the facility on North River Road in Mount Clemens. Thieves broke a padlock on the trailer during the off-hours of a popular gun and knife show.
"We're working in conjunction with the Macomb County Sheriff's Department," said Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McCabe. "We're definitely in contact."
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the trade center thieves.
It's unknown what caused the fire, but firefighters immediately noticed two long guns and four to five handguns in a bedroom. A bulletproof vest with the word "police" emblazoned on the back was behind the bedroom door, police said.
Oakland County deputies said they tried to question Valentina Vulijevic, who is a naturalized American citizen and her husband, who is a legal alien, but the couple refused to answer police questions at the advice of their attorney.
They were arrested after the sheriff's office contacted the Detroit Police Violent Crimes task Force and verified the vest and night vision equipment were stolen from one of their officers.
Now, both counties are working with ATF to determine where each of the weapons came from and how they ended up in the house. One weapon was traced to a theft in Charlevoix, another to an apartment theft in Clinton Township, and a third to a burglary in Cheboygan.
"Our experience with firearms that are stolen is they're stolen for one purpose and that is to go on the black market, and most often these are traded for drugs, sold for a profit," said Vera Fedorak, a spokeswoman for the ATF in Detroit.
The Vulijevics were both charged with five counts of receiving and concealing stolen firearms, which is a 10-year felony, five counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, a two-year felony, and one count of stolen property more than $1,000 and less than $20,000, which is a five-year felony.
They were arraigned Thursday in Rochester Hills District Court, where he was given a $100,000 bond and she received a $75,000 bond. They both face a preliminary examination at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 8.
Sheriff's deputies say the couple may face more charges as the investigation continues
http://macombdaily.com/stories/122907/loc_n2001.shtml
Don
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Good news. I've been down to the Gibraltar shows. 0 -
It's great these dirtbags got busted, but why would the FD call police just because they had guns at the house? 0 -
I bet the "police" marked b-p vest had something to do with it......
Don0 -
quote:Originally posted by dongizmo
I bet the "police" marked b-p vest had something to do with it......
Don
That's what we call a "clue" [:D]0 -
5 + 2 + 10 = 17 years.
Good deal, throw the book at these scum.
We don't have enough criminals, we have to import 'em from Russia or Ukraine or God knows where.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Flying Clay Disk
Here's a good opportunity to use 'existing' laws and hammer the snot out of 'em, rather than make up a bunch of new laws.
Why, that...that's just Crazy Talk..0 -
quote:Originally posted by Flying Clay Disk
Here's a good opportunity to use 'existing' laws and hammer the snot out of 'em, rather than make up a bunch of new laws.
There is a part of the brady bill that makes it a federal crime to steal from a FFL, I don't think I have ever heard of it being used......
Don0 -
"...night vision goggles and a bullet-proof vest stolen from Detroit's Violent Crimes Task Force."
See? That's why we shouldn't allow the police to have these kinds of things, 'cause they'll likely get stolen and end up in criminal hands!
...and don't make me whip out my nit-pick-checker and show there's no such thing as a bullet-proof vest...0 -
Hang'em high. 0
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