Houston storm power outages: Nearly 3 dozen guns stolen from EZ Pawn store at 4702 Highway 6 while cameras weren’t working

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — ABC13 has learned thieves snatched more than 30 guns from a helpless pawn shop, taking advantage of storm-affected business.

According to a source, the suspects broke through the ceiling of the store and stole mainly handguns, which are now on the streets and in the hands of criminals.

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, two employees went to check the EZ Pawn store at 4702 Highway 6 after Saturday morning’s storms and realized they had been burglarized.

Due to the power outage, the store’s surveillance cameras were not working, leaving authorities without a description of the thieves.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating.

“Stolen firearms in Houston are a significant problem, whether they are stolen from a gun store or from someone with a home or vehicle,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Noel Rangers Houston.

In the city, Houston police said burglaries have increased at night since the natural disaster. Officers said people were charged with crimes for burglarizing businesses during the outages.

“We have the ability to send messages to licensed gun dealers that it is critical to properly store their firearms in advance of any natural disaster, especially when the power outage becomes critical as many of their cameras security devices are plugged into the mains,” the Rangers said.

Rangers say it’s difficult for them to track down stolen firearms used in crimes, so gun owners need to know their serial numbers.

“Often, these firearms come in multiple makes and models, and if a gun owner does not record the serial number when it is recovered in a crime, we are not able to determine d ‘Where did that gun come from,’” the Rangers said.

Possession of a stolen firearm is a federal crime that carries up to 10 years in prison.

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