MILLBRAE
Owner of stolen guns says theft could have happened years ago
His last check of weapons was in December 2001

Ryan Kim, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, August 27, 2004

A cache of 130 guns reported stolen from a Millbrae storage facility was owned by a small Santa Cruz County real estate and financial company that also offered gun-brokering services, helping owners transfer firearms to other buyers, authorities said Thursday.

Kenneth Doolittle, owner of Monterey Bay Investments Corp. of Aptos, reported to Millbrae police Aug. 19 that the guns had been stolen from Annie's Attic Self Storage, police said. On Wednesday, Doolittle contacted the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which began its own investigation.

Doolittle told authorities the weapons apparently had been stolen sometime after December 2001, the last time he says he checked in on his guns.

Federal officials offered few details about the theft, which included revolvers, pistols, rifles and shotguns. The weapons were valued at more than $100,000.

"The guns are in the hands of criminals who stole them, and if they go to individuals who are prohibited from buying guns, that's a concern," said ATF spokeswoman Marti McKee.

This is the second high-profile theft of weapons in San Mateo County this summer, following the theft of 200 pounds of explosives from a law enforcement storage facility last month. McKee said there does not appear to be any evidence linking the Millbrae crime with the stolen explosives, which were later recovered, nor any sign of a terrorist activity.

McKee would not say how the guns were taken from the storage facility. Employees at Annie's Attic declined to comment.

It's not rare or illegal for a licensed gun dealer such as Monterey Bay Investments to store weapons away from its main business location, McKee said. Federal law requires that firearms dealers secure their weapons but doesn't require specific safeguards against theft, she said.

However, Millbrae Police spokeswoman Chris Co said investigators were looking at why Monterey Bay Investments chose to store weapons so far from its Aptos office.

"We don't have any reason why they were here," she said.

McKee said the company might face criminal charges or a possible license revocation for failing to tell the ATF of the theft within 48 hours, as required by law.

Doolittle was on a camping vacation and unavailable for comment Thursday, according to a company employee who answered the phone. No one else was authorized to talk about the case, the employee said.

According to the company's gun transfer Web site, Doolittle is a former Air Force security police officer and member of the Presidential Honor Guard who went into gun trading because of a lifelong affection for the weapons. He wanted to help other firearms owners sell and transfer guns easily and cheaply, the Web site said.

Under federal law, gun owners wishing to sell their weapons must work through a licensed dealer, who conducts background checks and maintains the necessary record keeping.

"I do not attempt to make a living at the firearms game, but I like to make a few bucks while I help other people," Doolittle wrote on the Web site. "I really enjoy making new friends, and being a firearms dealer is a great way to do that."

McKee said investigators welcomed help from the public and were considering every scenario, from an outside break-in to an inside job.

Large-scale gun thefts are a recurring problem, McKee said. In 2001, 257 guns were stolen in Modesto, and 86 weapons were stolen in San Rafael. Earlier this year, 25 guns were taken in San Leandro.

"Sorry to say, but it's not uncommon," McKee said.

E-mail Ryan Kim at [email protected].

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2004/08/27/BAGGI8F93L1.DTL

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BUCC_Guy:
They're in Kali, its a state law, not federal.

Kharn

I dont see why stolen guns, despite the timeframe or count rank as the lead story compared to this tidbit....

Quoted: This is the second high-profile theft of weapons in San Mateo County this summer, following the theft of 200 pounds of explosives from a law enforcement storage facility last month.

Well I guess they proved they cant be trusted with explosives. And exactly WTF are they doing with "200 pounds" worth of explosives anyway?

Burning us out became outdated, as opposed to blowing us up?

Doolittle should make new friends in PRISON just for being stupid and irresponsible. Duh, He's got all these firearms and hasn't check them since 2001.Makes US law abiding gun owners and dealers look bad.More fuel for the anti-gun gurus.My rant.

McKee said the company might face criminal charges or a possible license revocation for failing to tell the ATF of the theft within 48 hours, as required by law.

Is this really a law?  Does it apply to any gun or only in excess of a certain quantity?  I had my guns in storage for 18 months while I was on active duty.  If they had been stolen out of my storage facility, I wonder if I'd have been charged...

Quoted: I dont see why stolen guns, despite the timeframe or count rank as the lead story compared to this tidbit.... Quoted: This is the second high-profile theft of weapons in San Mateo County this summer, following the theft of 200 pounds of explosives from a law enforcement storage facility last month. Well I guess they proved they cant be trusted with explosives. And exactly WTF are they doing with "200 pounds" worth of explosives anyway? Burning us out became outdated, as opposed to blowing us up?

Maybe they've grown tired of just gunning down golden retrievers & other "vicious" dogs & have started blowing them up.  "Hold my donut & watch this........<YIPE!  BOOM!!!!> Yeehaw, that one blowed up real good!.....err I mean IT'S COMING RIGHT FOR US!!!!".  

<edited to add>  

Quoted: McKee said the company might face criminal charges or a possible license revocation for failing to tell the ATF of the theft within 48 hours, as required by law. Is this really a law?  Does it apply to any gun or only in excess of a certain quantity?  I had my guns in storage for 18 months while I was on active duty.  If they had been stolen out of my storage facility, I wonder if I'd have been charged...

Does the law state that once you know your firearms have been stolen, 48 hours notice apply ? That is what I like to know. Kill-9, You've been away on active duty, the ATF should not get on your ass if yours were stolen, Damn, I would be more than happy to watch over someone's firearms when they are away for extended period of time, such as yourself.I know most of us try to secure firearms as best as we can to avoid theft, but in Dollittle's case, 3 years ?

Quoted: I dont see why stolen guns, despite the timeframe or count rank as the lead story compared to this tidbit.... Quoted: This is the second high-profile theft of weapons in San Mateo County this summer, following the theft of 200 pounds of explosives from a law enforcement storage facility last month. Well I guess they proved they cant be trusted with explosives. And exactly WTF are they doing with "200 pounds" worth of explosives anyway? Burning us out became outdated, as opposed to blowing us up?

First

Second, often times department will store confiscated "explosives" until there is enough to efficiently get rid of. Remember "explosives" can be black powder, fireworks, firecrackers etc.

Quoted: First

Foot meet mouth...

Second, often times department will store confiscated "explosives" until there is enough to efficiently get rid of. Remember "explosives" can be black powder, fireworks, firecrackers etc.

SF Examiner Story.....

The ATF said it has recovered the most dangerous materials, which included 30 to 35 pounds of plastic explosives, grenade-like devices, 114 pounds of volatile chemical compounds and 800 to 900 blasting caps. The materials belonged to the San Francisco Police Department and San Mateo County Sheriff's Department and had been stored in a set of bunkers at a remote, abandoned quarry in San Mateo County that were burglarized sometime over the Fourth of July weekend.

Not confiscated, .gov owned.

You or me and thats negligence.

Now is where you can begin to rationalize to me why a local PD needs 800+ blasting caps, 100+ pounds of chemical who-knows-what, and more plastic explosives than one man can carry. I will hope the grenades are flash bangs, but cant imagine a thief, taking this shopping list being interested in the least bit interested in flash friggin bang. Im thinking frags.

AP- House mysteriously blows up just seconds before police raid, saving lives, film at 11

Just because your paranoid doesnt mean they not are out to get you. They are taking the guns in Kali and now they are gearing up .mil style.

BTW......

Paybacks a bitch (in a dress). I have no clue why you would animate an assault over an opinion of concern with tyranny.

Quoted: The ATF said it has recovered the most dangerous materials, which included 30 to 35 pounds of plastic explosives, grenade-like devices, 114 pounds of volatile chemical compounds and 800 to 900 blasting caps. Now is where you can begin to rationalize to me why a local PD needs 800+ blasting caps, 100+ pounds of chemical who-knows-what, and more plastic explosives than one man can carry. I will hope the grenades are flash bangs, but cant imagine a thief, taking this shopping list being interested in the least bit interested in flash friggin bang. Im thinking frags.

Yes I bet "grenade like" is a flash-bang. 800-900 blasting caps? When I was in the Army dummy grenades were fused with blasting caps to use as "training grenades". Same thing for flash-bang? Blasting cap + flash bang body = flash-bang trainer (?) Some types of flash-bangs are also reloadable.

Locally we have an EOD team. They store confiscated explosives until they can be destroyed. And you wouldn't believe what people turn in. They also have things to "render safe" (blow up) suspicious devices.

What's the difference between government owned and confiscated by the governement, esp. to the media? I still think "gov owned" can cover "gov confiscated".

We have to mil-spec "bunkers" for storing "stuff". They have 2 set of locks, the same type of lock .mil uses on nuclear bunkers, on each door.

PS many quarries store explosives on site.