ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — Altamonte Springs police are looking for a burglar who broke into several storage units and took dozens of guns and ammunition.
Police are trying to find the weapons before they’re used in a crime.
“My firearms are now in the hands of criminals, and I feel very bad about that,” said Robert Fosse, whose rented unit at Simply Self Storage on Douglas Avenue was one of five that was ransacked.
Police said a burglar broke into five units early Monday and got away with up to 40 guns, including assault rifles, roughly 3,500 rounds of ammunition and two body armor suits.
Photos: Altamonte Springs storage unit thefts
“This is a criminal that broke into this unit, so now we have these type (of) weapons in a criminal’s hands,” said Lt. Robert Pelton, of the Altamonte Springs Police Department.
Fosse said up to 20 guns in his collection were taken, along with his musical instruments. He recently moved to Florida and stored the weapons while looking for a home.
“I was sick. Just moving here. I haven’t been in the state for—less than a month,” Fosse said.
Detectives are trying to determine how the burglar got past a perimeter gate. Their big break may come from a customer who was at the business and spoke with the suspect.
"I have a real problem with that. I am a legal gun owner. These people shouldn't own weapons, plain and simple," said customer Greg Holt.
Police said the burglar told the customer he was being evicted and needed to remove his stuff.
“I had a lot of firearms, a lot of survival-type gear, everything of my children’s. Everything is just gone,” Holt said. “I want my computers back. I am a single father of three children. You have every picture of my children that I have. You have everything.”
The burglar was described as a black man in his late 50s, about 5 feet 10 inches tall. He was driving a white van and returned with a black Ford F-150.
“Weapons are already readily available. But here we have more weapons that are going to criminals,” Pelton said.
Police said storing the guns is legal.
They’re working to obtain surveillance video from the business.
They hope the witness can help them create a sketch of the suspect, which they plan to release soon.