Gun Thief Suspect Arrested

raftgyde · Sep 8, 2011

From James Madison University's campus newspaper:
http://www.breezejmu.org/news/article_6b6b7a8e-d9af-11e0-ba73-001a4bcf6878.html

Gun Thief Suspect Arrested

The Harrisonburg Police Department arrested a Broadway, Va. man for allegedly stealing 22 guns from the Rockingham Cooperative on West Grace Street.

Vladimir P. Mazur, 23, was charged with four felony counts of larceny with intent to sell, two counts of felony breaking and entering, two felony counts of grand larceny and two felony counts of property damage.

Mazur allegedly broke into the co-op twice to steal guns, according to Harrisonburg police spokeswoman Mary-Hope Vass.

Police say the first break-in took place July 28 at approximately 9 p.m. Mazur allegedly broke one of the co-op's windows to enter the store.

The second break-in took place Aug. 4, and officers responded to a call at about 9:20 p.m. Vass said Mazur stole 44 guns in total. Of those 44, 22 were recovered; 15 of these confirmed to have come from the co-op.

"It's very much an ongoing investigation," Vass said. "We're still working to determine where they were from and what he was doing with them."

HPD worked with its RUSH Drug Task Force, the CHARGE Gang Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to make the arrest.

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I think it should be noted that the break-ins occurred just 2 doors behind the JMU Campus Police Station, near the corner of Main and Grace Streets.

skidmark · Sep 8, 2011

raftgyde said:
From James Madison University's campus newspaper:
http://www.breezejmu.org/news/article_6b6b7a8e-d9af-11e0-ba73-001a4bcf6878.html

Gun Thief Suspect Arrested

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I think it should be noted that the break-ins occurred just 2 doors behind the JMU Campus Police Station, near the corner of Main and Grace Streets.

Not their jurisdiction, therefore not their problem - unless of course they wanted to pull concurrent jurisdiction. I'm not bashing the JMU cops - just noting that the presence of a police station is no indication of the relative safety of any given area.

stay safe.

raftgyde · Sep 9, 2011

Actually it is

skidmark said:
Not their jurisdiction, therefore not their problem - unless of course they wanted to pull concurrent jurisdiction. I'm not bashing the JMU cops - just noting that the presence of a police station is no indication of the relative safety of any given area.

stay safe.

Actually, it is their jurisdiction. JMU owns that building and are just waiting on the the Co-Op to complete the move to the old Rocking R Hardware / RAM Plumbing Supply location.

I didn't include the location of the JMU Police Station to bash the JMU cops either; I like them, know some of them, cut up with some of them, have worked with others on investigations. I was merely attempting to point out how brazen thieves can be.

skidmark · Sep 9, 2011

raftgyde said:
Actually, it is their jurisdiction. JMU owns that building and are just waiting on the the Co-Op to complete the move to the old Rocking R Hardware / RAM Plumbing Supply location.

I didn't include the location of the JMU Police Station to bash the JMU cops either; I like them, know some of them, cut up with some of them, have worked with others on investigations. I was merely attempting to point out how brazen thieves can be.

I sit corrected.

And yes, the theives were brazen. But apparently so is HPD for being the lead agency in a case that seems to fall squarely on the JMU PD. I'm guessing that JMU called in HPD.

I'm still trying to get my head wrapped around "It's very much an ongoing investigation," Vass said. "We're still working to determine where they were from and what he was doing with them." Maybe not so much the "where they were from" part, but if the cops have no idea what the theif they caught was doing with the guns he stole then they need to hire a better class of detective. I'd be glad to give them a head start by suggesting he was not adding to his collection. Crossing that possibility off their list ought to help them figure it out.

stay safe.

hermannr · Sep 10, 2011

I think what the "ongoing investigation" comment is talking about is: only 15 of the 22 guns recovered came from the Co-op. A total of 44 guns were stolen from the Co-op in the two robberies...so...

The questions remaining: 1: where did the 7 non-co-op guns come from? 2: Where did the other 29 guns stolen that were not recovered from the Co-op thefts go? 3: And...How many more stolen firearms are involved that we do not know about?

scouser · Sep 10, 2011

hermannr said:
I think what the "ongoing investigation" comment is talking about is: only 15 of the 22 guns recovered came from the Co-op. A total of 44 guns were stolen from the Co-op in the two robberies...so...

The questions remaining: 1: where did the 7 non-co-op guns come from? 2: Where did the other 29 guns stolen that were not recovered from the Co-op thefts go? 3: And...How many more stolen firearms are involved that we do not know about?

1 ... BATFE ?
2 ... Mexico ?
3 ... Pick a number ....

peter nap · Sep 10, 2011

Well, having been born in Shenandoah, I can tell you that with a name like Vladimir P. Mazur....that boy ain't from around there.
I spect they're looking at Gang ties from up north. Damn Interstate!

thebigsd · Nov 4, 2011

peter nap said:
Well, having been born in Shenandoah, I can tell you that with a name like Vladimir P. Mazur....that boy ain't from around there.
I spect they're looking at Gang ties from up north. Damn Interstate!

Are you not aware of the massive Russian population in the Shenandoah? It's like little Moscow.

Just another good reason to have Operation Campus Safety.

Edit: Holy Necropost!!!! Sorry guys!

skidmark · Nov 4, 2011

thebigsd said:
Are you not aware of the massive Russian population in the Shenandoah? It's like little Moscow. Just another good reason to have Operation Campus Safety.

Edit: Holy Necropost!!!! Sorry guys!

If you are going to necropost, at least include a list of good Russian restaurants in the area for when we go to Occupy GMU.

stay safe.

thebigsd · Nov 4, 2011

This is the only one myself and the mighty Google could come up with...lol

http://www.russiahouserestaurant.com/

skidmark · Nov 5, 2011

My bad - GMU is in urban No(t)Va, while JMU is kinda-sorta in The Valley. I do get my "J"s confused with my "G"s.:banghead: Surprised you did not pick up on the disconnect between discussing The Valley and my referencing GMU.

So we're covered for GMU but still need a Russian Restaurant for JMU. Go back to Google, or just ask one of them Ruskies swarming all over the place.

stay safe.

Repeater · Nov 5, 2011

raftgyde said:
From James Madison University's campus newspaper:
http://www.breezejmu.org/news/article_6b6b7a8e-d9af-11e0-ba73-001a4bcf6878.html

Gun Thief Suspect Arrested

The Harrisonburg Police Department arrested a Broadway, Va. man for allegedly stealing 22 guns from the Rockingham Cooperative on West Grace Street.

Vladimir P. Mazur, 23, was charged with four felony counts of larceny with intent to sell, two counts of felony breaking and entering, two felony counts of grand larceny and two felony counts of property damage.

I think it should be noted that the break-ins occurred just 2 doors behind the JMU Campus Police Station, near the corner of Main and Grace Streets.

Good thing larceny in the Commonwealth is still a felony. Apparently, some other states are considering [strike]decriminalizing property crimes[/strike] reclassifying a range of property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors ... to save money:

More than half a dozen states are reclassifying a range of property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, a change that could spare prison terms for minor offenses and save states jail and prosecution costs.

The changes increase the threshold dollar amounts for crimes such as check kiting, theft and criminal mischief. California, Delaware, Illinois, Montana, Oregon and Washington, among others, have amended their criminal codes in the past two years, aimed partly at deferring hundreds of offenders from costly prison and jail sentences.

State officials and criminal justice analysts said budget crises have forced state lawmakers, sometimes at political risk, to enact less punitive measures for criminal offenders. "Clearly one of the motivating factors is cost," said Alison Shames, associate director of the Center on Sentencing and Corrections for the Vera Institute of Justice, an advocacy group. "States are looking at the numbers of people in prison for property crimes and asking themselves a simple question: Does everybody really need to be there?"

Better not happen here!

thebigsd · Nov 5, 2011

skidmark said:
SNIP Surprised you did not pick up on the disconnect between discussing The Valley and my referencing GMU.

stay safe.

I thought about it for a second, but then I figured you looked at my profile and saw I lived near Mason.

JamesB · Nov 6, 2011

Repeater said:
Good thing larceny in the Commonwealth is still a felony. Apparently, some other states are considering [strike]decriminalizing property crimes[/strike] reclassifying a range of property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors ... to save money:

Better not happen here!

Personally I would be behind action to reclassify. There are so many new and different ways to become a criminal anymore. So many ways I can loose everything I have. Domestic Violence is a misdemeanor, and I still lose firearms rights FOREVER? Some crimes should be thought of as less serious then they are currently.

zoom6zoom · Nov 6, 2011

I do get my "J"s confused with my "G"s.

Hey, lots of folks have trouble with Cyrillic.

Gun Thief Suspect Arrested

raftgyde

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skidmark

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raftgyde

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hermannr

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thebigsd

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