Oops...New Jersey PD loses machinegun...

[benEzra]

http://wcbstv.com/seenon/submachine.gun.mp5.2.633364.html

N.J. Police Lose MP5 Submachine Gun

Residents Terrified Over Idea Of Deadly Weapon On Streets

WAYNE, N.J. (CBS) ― A large police department in New Jersey is in nail biting mode. It has lost one of the deadliest weapons in its arsenal -- a fully automatic submachine gun, and has no idea where it could be.

A 9 mm submachine gun of German design, the MP5 was developed in the 1960s by a group of engineers from the West German arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch. It's used by law enforcement tactical teams across the country, as well as Army Rangers, Delta Force and Navy SEALs, among others. It is a deadly, fully automatic weapon, which can fire up to several hundred rounds per minute.

The Wayne Police Department had three MP5 submachine guns. That is until last week, when one of them went missing.

"I'm scared to death, because they're protecting our community and so they should have control over that a little better," said Wayne resident Gina Okun.

Wayne Police Capt. Paul Ireland was at a loss for words.

"It's very embarrassing," Ireland said. "This is a great police department. And unfortunately we can't find the location of it at this time."

For non-gunnies, this is no non-automatic civilian "assault weapon", but a real NFA Title 2/Class III restricted machinegun, i.e. 10 years in Club Fed for mere possession outside of police/military duty.

Definitely embarassing for the department...

[LostinVA]

1. OMFG -- I KNOW it was Lost-in-NJ!!!!!!!!!

[hedgehog]

2. Any suggestions as to why the police department has a machine gun?

Maybe they're expecting the Cloverfield monster to show up?

[krispos42]

6. The guy is probably part of a SWAT team

In some departments the SWAT team members perform regular patrol officer duties until there's an emergency. They keep their equipment, including fully-automatic weapons, in their police cruisers. When they arrive on scene they hop out and suit up with all the body armor and tactical vests and stuff.

[Boomer 50]

13. Ive been an LE trainer for well over a decade

There is absolutely no legitimate reason for civilian law enforcement use of a full auto weapon. My question as well is why do they need one?

[eFriendly]

3. Police-issued assault weapons, 9mm's, bulletproof vests, etc

go missing all of the time where I am. The items are most often taken right out of the trunks and glove compartments of unlocked police vehicles. Now, I don't know if that is the case in the N.J. incident. But damn, I guess common sense is not a quality that is routinely looked for in people wanting to be police officers.

[Tejas]

4. FAUX News will go over the top with this

"The obvious concern is what could happen if such a dangerous weapon -- which is not available for sale to the public -- were to end up in the wrong hands."


FAUX: "Should schools be locked down until this weapon of mass destruction is found? We report - YOU DECIDE"

[SteveM]

12. Maybe FAUX should lock its studio down. (nt)

[Tejas]

14. Cut all ties with the outside world would be fine with me ;) n/t

[krispos42]

5. I doubt this will turn up on the streets for a while

unless the thief is a complete moron. That MP5 may only cost a thousand bucks or so for the police department to buy, but it's probably worth three or more times that to the right criminal. Who would rob a liquor store of $200 with a gun worth $3,000? Especially since getting caught with it is major major federal time?

What worries me is that the thief might trade it to a major-league criminal organization for a dozen illegal handguns.

[DU Man]

7. Ill take a guess and say..

Probably buried in the trunk of a Police cruiser..

[L1A1Rocker]

8. Yep

If it was stolen by a person with "conections" it will wind up in the hands of drug lords in Mexico.

[Retired AF Dem]

9. Residents Terrified Over Idea Of Deadly Weapon On Streets

No shortage of sheep in NJ I see.

[sir pball]

10. I'm hardly a sheep..

I carry, have pepper spray, usually my Spyderco is clipped in my pocket (that's really a utility thing, a knife is a damned handy thing to have), and I'm decent in hand-to-hand...tell ya what, if I ran into somebody carrying an MP5, I would definitely be beating a hasty retreat. I've fired one before and they really ARE the "bullet hoses" the Brady Bunch is always going on about. An amazing piece of weaponry for sure, but so >>>>> a pistol it isn't even funny.

[Retired AF Dem]

11. I said there was no shortage of sheep

I never said everyone is one. I feel sorry for the sheepdogs there though.

[sir pball]

15. Right

I was just saying this is one of those rare cases where some concern (hell, or Terrah) is probably justified, lord knows I wouldn't want a genuine MP5 on the streets of my town.

[east texas lib]

16. Damn...

I'd hate to be the cop who signed that weapon out!