Alleged gun thief Viet Trinh is under arrest after ATF agents tracked him down via selfies in which he allegedly posed with guns from a robbery.
The agents claim 18-year-old Trinh admitted to driving the getaway car for the “smash-and-grab” robbery of a Thornton, Colorado, gun shop.
According to the Denver Post, “An informant who worked with ATF agents witnessed Trinh, Chris Padilla Sr., Chris Padilla Jr., Jay Martinez and Nathaniel “Nate” Aragon climb into a white Honda Civic and a grey Honda hatchback late on Nov. 9 at the Padilla home at 1349 King St.” A security camera then allegedly showed the suspects arrive at the gun store at around 4:21 a.m. and “bash [in] the front window.”
They then entered the store and allegedly stole 25 guns.
Agents indicate Trinh “was caught after sending numerous cellphone selfies of himself armed with stolen guns to friends.” He allegedly used the messages to discuss the possibility of killing people too.
Agents were also helped by Trinh’s Facebook posts. For example, on Nov. 11, he posted: “Know anyone that wants to buy a baby .40? $300.” On Dec. 20, he posted, “I got my 9 wit (sic) full clips. Mixed with poison hallows, regular hallows and strait meadle (sic) jackets.”
Someone texted Trinh to ask where he got the guns and he responded, “A yistol (sic) shop.”
At least one other member of the alleged robbery team gave himself away via Facebook posts too.
Jacob McIntosh works at South Platte Tactical, a gun shop in Brighton, Colorado. He spoke to CBS Denver about the arrests in the “smash-and-grab” robbery, saying, “Stupid people do stupid things, and that’s why they get caught. And that is a prime example.”
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.