CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper Police Department has successfully recovered multiple items, including a fully automatic firearm and several gold coins, stolen from a visitor’s vehicle in Casper on Tuesday, Aug. 15.
On Thursday, the department said in a news release that the theft took place while the vehicle was parked overnight at a hotel on the 4900 block of East 2nd Street.
Detectives immediately assembled an investigation team that prioritized the weapon recovery as it posed a potential threat to the community, the release said.
On Wednesday, Detective Husted investigated a local lead to the stolen gold coins and connected the suspect, identified as 35-year-old Casper resident Richard J. McCloskey, to the burglary. Husted immediately notified merchants in the Casper area to be on the lookout for McCloskey, and she received a tip as to his whereabouts.
With the assistance of the Patrol Division, McClosky was safely taken into custody and the fully automatic firearm and gold coins, valued at about $100,000, were recovered.
“As the investigation proceeded, detectives discovered multiple items of value that had previously been reported stolen during local burglaries, as well as additional items which we believe to be stolen, yet perhaps not yet reported to the Casper Police Department,” the department’s release said. “It is important that any members of our community who have been the victim of a recent burglary file a report of the theft as soon as possible, so that we can return these items to their lawful owners.”
McCloskey was booked into the Natrona County Detention Center.
The Casper Police Department is reminding residents and visitors alike to not store firearms in a vehicle overnight. Keep firearms locked, secured and under control.
