Nearly 50 weapons stolen from party store - ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI

(08/20/12) - Dozens of guns were stolen and now federal agents are asking for your help to find them and get them off the streets.

It happened last Wednesday at Wild John's Party Store in Sanilac County's Greenleaf Township.

Monday, the ATF announced a $5,000 reward for information.

The owner of Wild John's Party Store says he was shocked to find out that nearly 50 guns were stolen from his business.

Jeff Trepkowski showed ABC12 the medal back door that someone broke into last Wednesday. He says this is the first time his business has ever been hit like this.

"I looked in the back room and the door was all busted open or broke into and I found some pistol cages laying on the floor and all of our stuff is gone. All of our pistols and a few guns were missing and a few other things were missing also," he said.

Sanilac County Sheriff Garry Biniecki says there are very few leads in this case.

"I believe there's been approximately 37 handguns. Semi automatic revolver type pistol guns and I think it was 11 long guns that were taken. They were mainly riffles. Several 223 caliber," he said.

Trepkowski is now in the process of getting surveillance cameras, something that wasn't in the store before. Right now he's more concerned about where the guns will end up.

"It makes you feel sick knowing that they're probably going to be on the street with people they don't belong to," Trepkowski said.

Customers who come there on a regular basis told ABC 12 they're scared knowing that nearly 50 stolen guns are now circulating around their community.

"It's not a very comfortable feeling. You don't know what these people are going to do with these weapons. They're going to hurt good honest people," said customer Mark Chapin.

Biniecki says the sheriff's office is also in the process of trying to get some local funding for reward money.

Evidence from the break in has been sent off to the Michigan State Police Crime Lab in Bridgeport.