No Guns Found But Suspect is Behind Bars in Yakima

Yakima Police have arrested a man wanted for burglarizing the Washington State Fish and Wildlife offices on January 2 in Yakima. Police say he stole 19 firearms from the office.

The suspect is charged with 19 counts of Theft of a Firearm

29-year-old Alexander Stevens is being held in the Yakima County Jail on 19 counts of 2nd Degree Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, 19 counts of Theft of a Firearm, 2nd Degree Malicious Mischief and 1st Degree Burglary. Capt. Jay Seely says officers arrested Stevens on Monday night as he was standing outside a Yakima home. During the arrest none of the guns were recovered as police continue to search for the firearms.

The stolen guns are already on the streets of Yakima

However Seely says in a separate unrelated case police did recently find one of the guns in possession of a person stopped for Driving Under the Influence. He says that's an indication that many if not all the guns are now on the streets of Yakima. Seely says Stevens gained access to the office by cutting a hole in the side of the building. Once inside Seely says Stevens stole the 19 guns that were being stored in a gun vault as evidence in criminal cases.

Federal officials have indicated they want to charge the suspect in federal court

Police say "because firearms were stolen during the burglary, the case has been adopted by the U.S. Bureau of Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, which could lead to the suspect being charged in federal court."