Columbus Police are investigating the theft of an assault rifle, a handgun, 500 rounds of ammunition, and two bullet-proof vests from a city-owned police vehicle parked at a police officer’s residence.
The incident occurred sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning on the north side of Columbus near the intersection of Willowbrook Road and 5th Street North. Both the Columbus Police Department and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the incident.
Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin said Monday afternoon he is deeply concerned about the incident.
“I am upset over this news of the missing weapons and other equipment. The weapons being in the hands of a thief is a risk to the safety of our community. I spoke to the Police Chief and the Sheriff today and they assure me the case is getting the full investigatory attention of both departments. All of the information on the missing guns and items has been entered into a national database used by law enforcement agencies all over the United States.
“We have too many people in the world that are careless about gun security. Law enforcement must set the highest standards for gun safety and security. This highlights the need for us to review and update our general orders, policies, and procedures,” he said.
