Driver smashes into Loganville gun shop, steals firearms

LOGANVILLE, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - A swath of weather watches and warnings didn't halt criminal activity in Loganville Friday. A driver plowed a stolen vehicle into X3 Firearms off of Highway 78 around 5 a.m. -- and surveillance cameras caught the whole thing on tape.

In the video, you can see the car smash through two layers: glass doors and a rolling steel door. However, that steel door then closed behind the vehicle once it was fully inside. The suspect scurried around the store, punching through a glass case to grab several firearms and then snagging additional guns from the wall.

The whole incident transpired in about one minute. The suspect then crawled underneath the rolling door to escape.

Police said an accomplice was waiting nearby in a getaway car, described as a silver Crown Victoria, notably with no hub caps.

Based on surveillance video, police described the man who entered the gun shop as a black male, 5' 9" with a slim build.

It's unclear exactly what and how much was stolen. The owner is still reviewing his inventory but told FOX 5 News he has collected the serial numbers for several missing guns so far.

"There's an inherent danger anytime a weapons facility is broken into such as this, but we have faith in our abilities to track the suspects down and hopefully bring a safe conclusion to this incident," said Robbie Schwartz, a spokesperson for the city of Loganville.

Neighbors are now feeling on edge with guns in the hands of criminals. Yaneris Ayala was shocked to hear the news, calling the community typically safe and friendly.

"That's the thing that worries me the most because it's a gun," Yaneris Ayala said. "An illegal gun on the street -- that's something serious that we have to take into consideration."

Ayala works two doors down from X3 Firearms and said now she is debating upgrading the security at her salon, Divina Dominican Hair Salon.

The owner of the strip mall told FOX 5 News this type of crime is uncommon, recalling only two similar incidents in the past 15 years.