ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) – Eight people, including seven juveniles, were arrested in connection with gun store burglaries in western Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office said 79 firearms were stolen from gun shops in Allegheny County and Ohio by a criminal organization in the region.

Close

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Fifty-six of those firearms were stolen from Allegheny Arms in Bethel Park on Jan. 13, 2025, and 23 others were stolen from Expert Outfitters in North Lima, Ohio, six days later.

Officials have recovered a majority of the stolen firearms; however, about two dozen remain unaccounted for.

The seven juveniles charged range in ages from 14 to 17, and officials have charged a 19-year-old as an adult.

“These crimes alarmed the community — and for good reason. Any and all thefts of firearms should be perceived as direct threats to public safety. I am very pleased that, along with our partners, we can say today that we know who was responsible and we are holding them accountable with very serious charges,” Attorney General Dave Sunday said. “Due to many of these being juvenile allegations at the moment, I am limited in what can be said publicly, but I assure Pennsylvanians that we are not treating these crimes as child’s play.”

4 charged after Lancaster teen allegedly robbed, pistol-whipped

The Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General will prosecute the cases. Burglary and related offenses are being investigated by Ohio officials for the North Lima burglary.

Allegheny County Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns said: “The actions of these individuals have already had tragic consequences and endangered countless lives in our community. We are grateful for the teamwork and cooperation from all of the agencies involved in this investigation and we will continue to work to remove all of these stolen guns from our streets.”

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.