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Suspects lead police on chase after breaking into Mooresville gun shop

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Police said a short car chase ensued after a Mooresville gun shop was broken into early Friday morning.

Officials told Channel 9 that four to five people broke into Point Blank Range on Highway 150 around 2:45 a.m. and stole guns.

Someone was at the range, which is open 24 hours for elite members, and heard the security alarm. He got a description of the getaway car and told police.

“They didn’t realize somebody was here so if they knew somebody was here, I’m sure they wouldn’t have done it,” another range member David Brewster said. “Obviously, they needed money more than anything to do a crime like that.”

A chase started on Interstate 77, where the burglars threw the guns out of the car.

Authorities stopped the chase because of a construction zone near Huntersville, but a worker there followed the car and told police it was in an apartment complex in Charlotte.

“Fortunately for us, we had a citizen who saw what was going on and continued to follow the suspect vehicle down onto Charlotte into an apartment complex,” Deputy Chief Gerald Childress said.

Mooresville police immediately reached out to CMPD, who recovered the getaway car.

Three stolen shotguns were found by officers along the interstate.

No arrests have been made.

Managers told Channel 9 the store has plenty of security including more than half-dozen security cameras.

A few members said people come to the range at all times since it opened to members 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and they aren't surprised if someone was at the range Friday morning.

Channel 9 was at the scene and saw the manager sweeping up broken glass on the ground where the front door used to be.

No other details have been released.

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