Unsecured Guns Stolen from NJ Armory Linked to Violent Crimes

MORRIS COUNTY, N.J. — New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has announced a court-approved settlement with FSS Armory, Inc., a licensed firearms dealer based in Pine Brook, Morris County, following a 2023 burglary in which 18 unsecured firearms were stolen from the store. Several of those firearms were later recovered at crime scenes or in the hands of criminal suspects, including one incident where a police officer was injured.

The civil lawsuit, filed by the Attorney General’s Statewide Affirmative Firearms Enforcement (SAFE) Office, alleged that FSS Armory violated New Jersey’s firearms industry public safety law, enacted in 2022, and committed common law negligence. This case marked one of the first civil enforcement actions brought by SAFE since its establishment and was intended to hold a gun retailer accountable for unsafe storage practices that posed a serious risk to public safety.

Details of the 2023 Burglary and Its Aftermath:

In January 2023, two individuals broke into FSS Armory by smashing a ground-floor window where unsecured guns were visibly stored. The burglars stole seven pistols, six shotguns, four rifles, and one revolver. The store's alarm system failed to activate, and the break-in went undetected until the store owner arrived the next morning and notified authorities.

Within hours of the theft, the suspects used the stolen firearms to rob a jewelry store in Passaic, holding two customers and two owners at gunpoint. One person was injured after being violently thrown to the ground.

Of the 18 stolen weapons, only nine have been recovered, and all were found in connection with criminal activity. One pistol was recovered in Newark from a suspect wanted in domestic violence cases. That suspect fled from police, and a pursuing officer suffered a head injury. Another pistol was found during a police sweep of an illegal nightclub in Paterson. A third was recovered in New York from a stolen vehicle suspect, and six additional firearms were intercepted during an undercover NYPD operation targeting illegal gun sales. Three individuals from New Jersey were arrested and indicted in connection with that sting. The remaining nine weapons remain unaccounted for.

Admissions and Terms of Settlement

Under the Consent Order and Final Judgment, FSS Armory admitted to:

• Storing unsecured firearms within arm’s reach of a window;

• Publicly displaying images of those unsecured weapons on its website;

• Acknowledging the burglary and resulting public safety harm.

The settlement requires FSS Armory to pay $125,000 to the State and to implement major security upgrades, including:

• Installation of real-time alarm systems on all windows and exterior doors to alert law enforcement and the store owner of break-ins;

• Fitting bars on all exterior windows to prevent unauthorized access;

• Securing all firearms and ammunition during non-business hours in safes, vaults, or locked metal cabinets, in accordance with state regulations and SAFE oversight;

• Allowing regular inspections by an independent monitor every six months for a period of four years;

• Abiding by all conditions outlined in the final judgment as long as the business remains operational.

“This case is a stark example of the consequences that can result when unsecured firearms fall into the wrong hands. By storing these firearms with inadequate security measures, FSS Armory made it easy for them to be stolen and later used in crimes,” said Attorney General Platkin. “In New Jersey, we use every tool at our disposal to prevent violence caused by firearms. Other licensed gun retailers should take heed of this case. As the state’s chief law enforcement officer, I will continue to do everything in my power to protect the public from the epidemic of firearm violence.”

SAFE Director Ravi Ramanathan highlighted the success of the firearms industry safety law, stating: “Companies in all industries are held responsible when their actions jeopardize the health and safety of the public. The gun industry should be no different.”

This civil enforcement action was brought under N.J.S.A. 2C:58-35, part of New Jersey’s 2022 firearms industry public safety law. That law authorizes the Attorney General to hold members of the firearms industry accountable for practices that endanger public health or violate safety standards.

The case was investigated by SAFE Deputy Director Jeremy Ershow, Assistant Attorney General Shira Arnow, Senior Investigators Eric Barlow and Reinaldo Roldan, and Deputy Attorney General Emily Erwin. The State’s legal team was led by Assistant Attorney General David Leit and Deputy Attorneys General Jonathan Mangel, Loren Miller, Giancarlo Piccinini, and Andrea Cavazos of the Division of Law’s Special Litigation Section.

About the SAFE Office

Established in 2022, the Statewide Affirmative Firearms Enforcement (SAFE) Office is the first state agency of its kind in the nation. It operates under the authority of the Attorney General and is tasked with enforcing compliance across the firearms industry. SAFE’s mission is to reduce gun violence and enhance public safety through regulatory oversight and legal accountability. The office is credited with helping New Jersey achieve the third-lowest rate of firearm deaths in the country, with shooting incidents falling below 800 in 2024, the lowest level since the state began collecting such data.

This settlement marks a milestone in the application of New Jersey’s firearm safety laws and underscores the state’s commitment to holding firearm businesses accountable when negligent practices contribute to gun violence.

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