PALMDALE – Four assault rifles, a hand gun, a light anti-tank weapon, and thousands of rounds of ammunition were seized Monday afternoon when deputies executed a search warrant at an industrial building in Palmdale.
The bust happened around 2 p.m. Monday in the 300 Block of Grand Cypress Avenue and it was conducted by the Lancaster Station Burglary Suppression Team.
An investigation into an artifact, possibly stolen from the Lancaster Museum and sold on the Internet, lead the burglary investigators to the location, according to Sergeant J. Deschamps from the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.
In addition to the recovered weapons, a large amount of U. S. currency, jewelry, electronics, collectable coins, baseball cards, and military items were seized, stated Deschamps.
Palmdale residents Brandon Ford, 40, and Victoria Thompson, 20, were arrested and booked at the Lancaster Station. The pair is facing several charges, including multiple counts of possession of an assault weapon and receiving stolen property.
Both suspects are being held on $80,000 bail.
MR. PERPLEXED IN THE AV says
I DONT KNOW? THESE LOOK TOO NEW TO ME? THEY’RE PROBABLY JUST SOME REPLICAS OF THE REAL THING, ALTHOUGH POINTED AT YOU! THEY DO LOOK LIKE THE REAL THING!! AS FOR THE L.A.W, THAT CAN BE USED AS A PAPERWEIGHT.
dumbandblind says
How are you supposed to protect yourself from “a light anti-tank weapon” ?
frank rizzo says
That’s a spent law rocket dumb and blind, I guess you could use it as a bat?
Kevin says
Criminals will always have access to illegal firearms.
Kevin says
Thats why they’re called “criminals”
sammy P says
Good job sheriffs – I don’t think these 2 people are upstanding citizen gun owners – I suspect they were probably trying to sell the guns to any gangbanger with a few hundred dollars to blow.
This bust might have saved innocent people from future harm.
frank rizzo says
It would be nice if you so called rifle experts knew what you were talking about. FYI, there are no bullet button devices made for all the above rifles, they are simply MAK 90’s and a crappy SKS and a possibly .38 caliber revolver and a spent LAW rocket. Nice photo op though for the cops to spread fear to ignorant people!
Jason says
Theres not one for the SKS but they are available for AK/MAK90.
curious says
I highly doubt the “criminal” that stole these items was educated on whether they were real or not..they look real to me – but what do I know? Curious to know who was buying them on line
Det. Dan Welle says
To spread fear? I think a better assumption would be to show people what we are doing. Lancaster funds several special teams, giving Lancaster much more service than some other places in the County. The photo is part of an after action report for the City which in this case was also disseminated to the press. The City gets these reports to hold us accountable, making sure they are getting the service they pay for.
sikntired says
Yeah Dawg,way to go LASD. More junk off the streets.Thankyou, thankyou.
Jason says
Unless those rifles are automatic, they are not assault rifles and all but the bottom one are legal weapons. The only illegal thing about them would be the magazines, but then again if those magazines are pre-ban they are legal to possess by the owner who had them pre-ban.
Jimmy Dean says
It does not appear that they have “bullet button” devices that configured them into a fixed magazine configuration so the combination of the detachable magazines and the pistol grip would make them “assault rifles” under CA law. If they had a “bullet button device” they are GTG unless they are fully automatic which is of course extremely unlikely. Also if they are equipped with a “bullet button device” and any of those +10 mags were placed in the rifle then they would have commited a different felony for having a “fixed magazine rifle” with more then 10 rounds. Of course they could have been “Registered Assault Weapons” prior to the last CA law and then entirely legal to own and to affix 30 rounders. I believe the anti tank tube probably had no ammunition for it and is therefore not a weapon any longer. Just looks good for the photo op; kind of like the ammo spread about the firearms. You are correct that the last one with the folder and bayonet on it is a no go though.
Jason says
Im not sure pre ban would have to have the bullet button. Its good that these weapons are out of the hands of criminals. Just wish the media would use the correct wording and terminalogy.