The store says the thieves were looking for guns Friday. But instead of buying them, they broke into cars parked outside of Tactical Firearms on South Mason Road. They may have thought they made a clean getaway, but now authorities have evidence that could help catch the criminals.
"So you've got the lookout vehicle pulling into the parking lot right now," Tactical Firearms owner Jeremy Alcede said, as surveillance video showing the parking lot rolls.
And not too far behind was a silver Nissan Altima with a suspected car burglar inside. The Ford Edge backs into a spot, allowing him to be on the lookout. The Altima starts scoping cars to burglarize.
First is a Ford pickup, but when he gets out and peeps through the window, there's nothing to steal. Eventually, a Toyota truck is broken into. Two guns are stolen from the back seat.
And the suspect is not done. He also shatters the window of a Suburban, stealing a briefcase.
Alcede says gun stores are under fire.
"I called AJC, since they are right down the road, advised them. That's when they told us that they were broken into already. And so we since then notified all the other gun stores to keep an eye out for these vehicles," Alcede said.
And they can also keep an eye out for the man in the white Ford Edge. He served as lookout. He actually walked inside, asked a question and left with a brochure. His polo hat and shirt are plain as day.
Alcede says gun stores seem like easy lifting for thieves.
"It's a target-rich environment. You know, if you come to a gun store, you're either coming to shoot or buy a gun," he said.
Now he's hoping someone recognizes the Ford Edge with Florida plates 702-LAI and the Altima with a Texas-style license plates.
As for the thieves, Alcede wouldn't advise them to return.
"If they come back it's going to end up differently," he said.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office is now on the lookout for the truck. And of course investigators would love to know who this man is our guy in the lookout vehicle who had to walk in the store.
