MADERA, Calif. (KMPH) -
"My initial reaction was, oh my God, was his gun stolen?" Madera Chief Probation Officer Rick Dupree said.
Dupree says his mind went racing as soon as he got the call that one of his officer's cars was broken into Tuesday night.
"That's what I wanted to make sure, that his gun and vest were not stolen. Obviously a gun is a very dangerous item to have out roaming in public as we've noticed lately in the news," Dupree said.
Clovis police say the break-ins happened some time between 5:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. The probation officer was at Clovis East High School watching his son practice football.
That's when the thieves smashed the windows of two cars and broke into the trunk of the officer's car.
But he didn't even know it until Wednesday morning.
"He found out that his raid-vest, his handcuffs, his OC (pepper spray), his radio and flashlight were all stolen," Dupree said.
Thankfully, the officer had his gun and badge on him.
But replacing the stuff stolen will cost the department just shy of about $1,000.
"The loss of the money to replace that is no big deal, it's the fact that if that stuff was to be used in a crime, that would be devastating to us," Dupree said.
And that's what he says worries him the most.
"Anytime you lose equipment, especially equipment that's public safety in nature, it's always of concern. Because you don't want that stuff to get in the wrong hands or be used for the wrong things," Dupree said.
He also says the car that was broken into was unmarked.
And probation officers have the choice of whether they want to take their gear home with them or leave it at the office.
This particular officer took his home Tuesday night because he had an early morning operation this morning and planned on going directly to the operation sight.
