ATLANTA (AP) - Federal authorities say they're working to fight gun trafficking in Georgia, including a dramatic increase in thefts of guns from licensed firearms dealers.
The U.S. attorney's office in Atlanta says it has worked with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to prosecute eight federal cases involving 32 defendants in the past four months.
Federal prosecutors say the ATF reported the following burglaries from licensed gun dealers in recent years:
- 2013: 338 guns stolen in 25 burglaries;
- 2014: 307 guns stolen in 34 burglaries;
- 2015: 429 guns stolen in 33 burglaries
- 2016: more than 1,000 guns stolen in 50 burglaries.
Prosecutors say these thefts make it easier to traffic guns to criminals in Georgia, in other states and internationally.
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