Man arrested, charged in connection with Columbia gun thefts
A Columbia man was arrested and charged on Saturday in connection with two gun thefts from June.
A person broke into Powder Horn Guns and Sporting on Paris Road on June 21, according to a probable cause statement. The break in caused damage to the back door, and 16 guns were taken, court documents said.
Police were called to the same location in reference to a burglary on June 27 and found that 23 guns were stolen from the business, court documents said. There was damage to the back door of the business and gun cabinets at the store, and the suspect then put the guns in a black garment bag, court documents said.
On Aug. 5, two people came to the Columbia Police Department and gave police Frank C. Bonaparte’s phone number, saying he was the person who stole the guns, court documents said.
Police pulled Bonaparte, 38, over on Friday on Bellview Drive, and after a search, they found a black garment bag, and three of the stolen guns were in the bag.
Bonaparte was charged with first-degree burglary, stealing a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm and first-degree property damage.
He’s being held in the Boone County Jail on a $200,000 bond.
