PA Attorney General Visits Bucks County Gun Shop To Tout New Gun Theft Law
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday joined local elected officials State Senator Frank Farry (R-6) and State Representative Joe Hogan (R-142) to announce his support for Senate Bill 916 and Hogan’s companion bill, which would impose enhanced penalties on individuals who rob gun stores. They held a press conference outside Luger Man Gun Shop, which was robbed in May 2023.
Officers from the Middletown Township Police Department were also on hand to lend their support—the same officers who responded to the gun shop burglary. This proposed legislation aims to fix gaps in the current system. All gun store burglaries and robberies could be charged as adult crimes, ending the practice of handling these offenses solely within the juvenile justice system. The bill would also increase penalties for organizers and co-conspirators who plan or facilitate gun store burglaries, and impose additional penalties when stolen firearms are later used in other crimes.
Many gun store burglaries are committed by teenagers who are paid to break in and steal firearms. Those stolen guns are then resold to individuals who should not possess them. State Representative Hogan also wants to increase penalties for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
“We have seen an alarming number of break-ins and thefts at gun stores in the commonwealth—incidents involving dozens of stolen firearms, guns which are then transferred to street gangs and other bad actors,” Sunday said. “This legislation will subject offenders, including juveniles in certain circumstances, to harsher penalties. The potential impact could go a long way toward preserving public safety.”
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo Delaware Valley News.com Middletown Police Chief Joe Bartorilla speaks during the press event.
When the Luger Man gun shop was burglarized, the thieves were initially thwarted by the shop’s two alarm systems. They then called a ringleader, who instructed them on how to break in and what to take. According to Township Police Chief Joe Bartorilla, “Our officers saw the vehicle leaving and gave chase. The pursuit went north, and Falls Township officers deployed spike strips. The vehicle crossed into Trenton and crashed. All three suspects fled on foot but were later arrested, and all 21 guns were recovered.”
While the details of the proposed laws have not yet been finalized, it is possible that a gun shop burglar who steals a firearm later used in another crime—such as an armed robbery—could face additional charges, even if they were not present at the scene of that crime.