Police are focusing on a 17-year-old Fort Wayne male in connection with a break-in to a Warsaw gun store.

The owner of Albertson's Sport Shop on U.S. 30 discovered the burglary when she came in to open the store about 6:40 a.m. Tuesday. The power was shut off at the main breaker, disabling the store's alarm system, a rear door was open, bars on a security gate were cut and a stack of guns was found next to the back door.

When Ruby Albertson called police, she said someone could possibly still be inside, since the guns were apparently placed there to be removed.

However, when Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department deputies arrived at the scene, no intruders were found in or around the building. The 22 long guns and 13 handguns near the door were from among the store's stock, but an inventory will have to be completed to determine what, if anything, is missing.

Police believe a 17-year-old who was parked on the access road to the gun store at about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday may have been involved in the break-in. A Warsaw police officer issued the teen a citation for curfew violation after questioning him regarding why he was there. The teen reportedly drove away from the area with his vehicle headlights off when the officer drove into the area. Ptl. Joseph McLaughlin then pulled the teen over.

A man mowing grass at the business noticed a door open about 6:30 a.m., but said he didn't think anything about it.

Police believe more than one person may have been involved in the burglary and that a suspect may have been hiding in the store when it was closed and locked about 8 p.m. Monday because there was no sign of forced entry from outside the building.

Indiana State Police technicians collected fingerprint evidence and officers from Warsaw Police and Winona Lake police departments assisted at the scene. [[In-content Ad]]