Firearms thief caught on cameras

Dale Hopkins was home about 20 steps away from his gun shop when someone broke in the morning of Nov. 25 and left with several weapons.

No one has been arrested in the burglary, but Hopkins said he suspects more than one person was involved.

“These people knew what they were doing. It's not the first time they did something like this,” he said.

Delaware State Police said the burglary happened about 7 a.m. at Hopkins Gun Shop – locally owned by Hopkins for 26 years. The shop sits on Hopkins' property, off the Route 9 Cool Springs corridor, down Josephs Road and at the end of a long gravel road. Single-family homes on ample acreage and larger farms surround the property.

A sign on Josephs Road is the only way anyone would know the shop exists; the building is not visible from the road. Hopkins said he knows most of the customers, and many are active hunters in the area.

The masked burglar entered the shop through a window, and was not deterred by three surveillance cameras inside the shop, which recorded the entire crime.

“The whole thing was caught on video. They have no fear of cameras,” Hopkins said.

He said the burglar left with mostly handguns, and he gave no further details on what was taken. Police said some rifles also were stolen.

Area gun shops have been notified about items stolen, Hopkins said, but he doubts any are still in Delaware.

“They'll be in Philly or another state by now,” he said.

The Nov. 25 burglary marks the first time someone has broken into the shop and stolen anything. Ten years ago, Hopkins said, someone tried to break in but failed.

Now, however, he said he plans to add bars to the windows and door for added protection.

Hopkins said he is also optimistic that agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will find the perpetrators.

“They have a 95 percent success rate solving these crimes,” he said.

A reward of $10,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the burglar is being offered by the ATF and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.