Burglaries on the rise in Pueblo

A burglary at a gun store in Pueblo earlier this week is one of the latest in a troubling trend. There have been nearly 1,500 burglaries in Pueblo this year, and that number has been rising steadily in recent years.

On Tuesday, Benjamin Acosta, Daniel Lizarraga and Damion Morgan were arrested in connection with a burglary at RJC Firearms that happened Sunday morning.

Store owner Rich Concialdi showed KRDO NewsChannel 13 how the burglars were able to get away with 11 guns.

“They had hammers with them and just bashed the glass,” Concialdi said. “All the glass fell on all the guns.”

Concialdi doesn’t have surveillance cameras, but video from nearby businesses helped police nab their guys.

“I will probably get some surveillance cameras in here in the future,” he said.

It’s an investment police say is well worth it, at a time when burglaries are on the rise. According to police, 1,316 burglaries were reported by this time last year, compared to 1,497 burglaries this year. Of the reported burglaries this year, 1,171 occurred in residences and 326 at businesses.

“It has to do a little bit with drugs. People are searching for money for drugs, they’re stealing items, they’re selling them, pawning them, trading them to get money for narcotics,” said Sgt. Eric Gonzales.

As for the stolen guns, police are still looking for seven of them.

“Having any guns out on the street right now that are illegal or have been stolen in a burglary are dangerous because you’re right — they are ending up in the hands of gang members and that’s what we’re trying to deter,” Gonzales said.

Police say burglaries tend to decrease during the winter, adding that the cold weather often deters crooks.