5 charged after 20 firearms stolen from south Charlotte gun store

CHARLOTTE — Police have made several arrests after someone drove into the door of a south Charlotte gun store and stole nearly two dozen guns.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said it happened around 4 a.m. on Feb. 20 at Carolina Sporting Arms on South Boulevard. Last week, Channel 9′s Evan Donovan spoke with a store employee about the incident.

After employees did an inventory, they found 20 guns were missing. The police report lists the types of guns and their value: Eighteen pistols, a shotgun, and a rifle.

Investigators said the suspects used a stolen Hyundai to ram the gated front door. CMPD officers found that car later that morning and tried to stop it but the driver sped away, they said.

Officers followed the driver in a short chase that ended when four people inside the car jumped out and ran away. Authorities were able to catch the four -- an 18-year-old woman, a 17-year-old girl and two 15-year-old boys. They were were arrested and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle.

Detectives also worked with the Concord Police Department to arrest three other suspects in the burglary. Through a search warrant, detectives seized eight guns that were stolen in the gun store robbery.

CMPD said the following people were charged in the robbery investigation:

  • Juvenile, 17: Larceny of a firearm, breaking and entering
  • Reginald Moses, 20: Possession of a stolen firearm, larceny of a firearm, breaking and entering, conspiracy to commit breaking and entering, larceny of motor vehicle
  • Cori Meadows, 18: Possession of a stolen firearm, possession of marijuana
  • Devonta Merriman, 18: Possession of a stolen firearm, possession of marijuana
  • Alaja McKinney, 18: Possession of a stolen vehicle

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