Tuesday Feb 14, 2017 11:12am

Dutchman Hunting Supplies • Shipshewana, IN

By: Tim Murray

Burglars took several handguns early Friday morning from Dutchman Hunting Supplies just west of Shipshewana.

"Even if it's just one gun we're concerned that taken illegally. We don't know what type of person has that firearm," said LaGrange County Sheriff Jeff Campos.

He who wouldn’t reveal the exact number of handguns stolen but the business owner says the value was around $8-thousand dollars.

Campos says it wasn’t your typical firearm theft in LaGrange County.

"In a home invasion they might take one or two, and especially in our community they're usually hunting firearms. And with the Dutchman, the amount of guns that they took, it alarms you."

A burglar alarm alerted police who arrived within ten minutes to find a window to the store broken out.

It’s just the latest in a string of burglaries in the Shipshewana area that began in December according to Lt. Detective Don Faust.

"Most of it was cash or property. This is the first time in this series of burglaries where they actually took firearms," said Faust.

Other burglaries in the immediate vicinity include The Landing convenience store and the Parkview EMS quarters on U-S 20. Faust says they’re trying to determine if they’re all related.

The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms is following up leads and providing local investigators technical assistance.

They’re also offering a $10-thousand dollar reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. Tips can be called in to the LaGrange County Sheriff’s Department or Crimestoppers.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Campos is urging residents to be aware.

"If you see any suspicious people, people who don't normally see, give us a call. Let us know. We tell everybody is you see something you're not sure, call us. Especially with vehicles, get a license plate number."

The Crimestoppers number is 800-342-STOP. The number for the LaGrange County Sheriff's Department is 463-7491.