Man uses excavator to tear down wall in Montana gun store heist, feds say

A man used an excavator from a nearby construction site to tear down a wall and door to a Montana gun shop to steal firearms, federal prosecutors said.

The 46-year-old Billings, Montana, man pleaded guilty Wednesday, Dec. 29, to theft from a federal firearm licensee, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Montana said in a news release.

Prosecutors said the man broke into Castle Firearms in Yellowstone County by tearing down part of the wall and door with the construction excavator.

He stole five pistols and one antique rifle, prosecutors said. Investigators learned the man had been in the store before the theft and “behaved oddly,” the release said.

When investigators went to his house to arrest him, the man admitted to the theft and told them he was prohibited from possessing guns but “liked firearms,” the release said. The stolen guns were found in his garage.

Construction workers told investigators the excavator was locked but could be accessed by anyone with a master key, prosecutors said.

The man faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, prosecutors said.

This story was originally published December 30, 2021 at 12:32 PM with the headline "Man uses excavator to tear down wall in Montana gun store heist, feds say."