MIDDLE TENNESSEE - Robbers used a stolen car to ram into a gun store this past Tuesday morning, but this time, they did not get what they wanted. Echo Three Armory in Chapel Hill is the fourth gun store in Middle Tennessee to be hit in just over a month and a half. The shop’s owner had prepared for a break-in, but never anticipated a car driving into his shop. Echo Three Armory is a shop that offers a wide variety of guns, ammunition, and gun repair supplies, which is why it was so attractive to thieves.

The incident appeared to involve at least two criminals who drove a stolen vehicle into the front windows of the gun shop and then proceeded to enter the store. However, their crimes stopped there because every gun in the shop was securely locked up in a safe, thanks to the owner's foresight. As a result, nothing was stolen from Echo Three Armory.

This break-in was nearly identical to the one that unfolded in Murfreesboro around 4 AM on June 1. Surveillance video from Bullseye Gun & Range on Shelby Street shows a smash-and-grab-style burglary. While a large percentage of guns were locked away, there were enough left out on display that made the break-in a successful hit for criminals.

At Bullseye, the culprits backed a stolen car into the front of the business, entered, and started grabbing handguns, rifles, shotguns, and more. They then fled in an awaiting vehicle, leaving the stolen car used as a battering ram at the scene. Murfreesboro Police believe a third person drove the getaway car, never entering the store.

Similar incidents have occurred in other parts of Middle Tennessee. This past May, the Southern Bunker in Smyrna lost $50,000 worth of inventory after a car drove through their front wall and windows. Weeks later, bandits rammed their way into Bullseye Gun & Range in Murfreesboro. In Sumner County, two teens drove a stolen Hyundai Elantra through Sumner Gun & Supply in Gallatin, stealing a semi-automatic rifle and shotgun.

Meanwhile, in Marshall County, just past Eagleville, the Chapel Hill Police Department is still searching for the two suspects that hit Echo Three Armory. Officers even pursued a suspect vehicle away from the store on a chase that lasted for 45-miles. However, the chase was called off as it became too dangerous for other motorist.

In Murfreesboro, police continue to seek assistance. If you have any information related to these cases, please contact Detective Shan Harris at 629-201-5536 or by email at 0499@murfreesborotn.gov. The case is actively under investigation by MPD Criminal Investigations Division detectives.

The recent spate of gun store robberies may in fact highlight the need for increased security measures among store owners. Despite the criminals' tactics, proactive measures by store owners, like those at Echo Three, are proving effective in thwarting these crimes.