North Carolina law prohibits those under 18 from possessing a handgun, except in certain circumstances. The state does not have a similar requirement for rifles or shotguns if the person is older than 12 or has express permission from a parent or guardian or is under adult supervision. Of course, it is always against the law to break into a business to steal property from the establishment. Despite their reasons for doing so, three individuals, two of whom were juveniles, were recently arrested for breaking into a gun shop in Yadkinville.
Incident and arrests
The incident occurred at an unspecified time on Tuesday, Nov. 15. The establishment was a gun store in Yadkinville, which had experienced another incident on Halloween when a car crashed into the establishment and several guns were stolen. It is unclear whether this latest incident is connected to the Halloween incident.
Regardless, during the Nov. 15 incident, one of the individuals allegedly accessed the store’s ductwork from outside, gained entry into the store and let his accomplices inside. The trio reportedly stole more than 24 firearms, and they were eventually arrested at a mall in Winston-Salem. A search of a nearby residence in Winston-Salem reportedly uncovered the stolen weapons. The individuals were listed as one 18-year-old and two juveniles, ages 15 and 16. They face numerous charges, including 28 counts of felony larceny or a firearm and breaking and entering.
Right to defense
Although surveillance camera footage showed three individuals burglarizing the gun store, they each appear to have hidden their identity with masks and hoodies. As such, the prosecution may have difficulty proving to the court that the accused are the individuals depicted in the surveillance video. Each of the accused will need to work closely with an experienced criminal defense attorney in North Carolina to increase the chances of obtaining the best outcome possible, and the juveniles will want to ensure that any attorney representing them has experience defending juveniles against serious felony charges.