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The Springfield (MO) News-Leader ran this article today:
"Published April 6, 2004
Man charged in theft of battlefield pistols
George T. Doos, 44, faces four counts in connection with the stolen historic firearms.
By Matt Wagner
News-Leader
A Springfield man has been indicted on federal charges of possessing three antique pistols stolen from Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in January.
Convicted felon George T. Doos, 44, has been charged with four separate counts in connection with the Jan. 11 theft of the handguns, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Kansas City.
Doos was arrested Friday and is in custody at the Greene County Jail, where he's being held for U.S. marshals.
The federal indictment alleges that Doos received the stolen firearms — an M1849 .36-caliber Colt pocket revolver, a U.S. Model 1842 percussion pistol and a Model 1851 Colt Navy revolver — between Jan. 11 and March 16.
The Colt pocket revolver was previously owned by Confederate Col. E.B. Greer, who fought at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in August 1861. It's valued at $4,000.
The other two pistols were worth roughly $1,000 apiece.
All three are back at the battlefield in a secure place and have been for "several days," said park ranger John Sutton. An ongoing investigation precluded the battlefield from publicizing the development, he added.
Federal authorities believe Doos used physical force to prevent another person from notifying law enforcement about the stolen weapons.
Greene County sheriff's deputies and members of the Springfield Police Department's Special Response Team executed a search warrant at Doos' home March 22, said Detective Richard Mayo with the sheriff's department.
During the raid, authorities discovered a .32-caliber semi-automatic pistol with its serial number destroyed and a Taurus .38- special revolver.
No one has been arrested for breaking into the battlefield's visitor center and stealing the handguns, and Mayo declined to talk further about the ongoing investigation.
Sutton said the guilty party — or parties — shattered a $2,000 plate-glass window with a brick in the early hours of Jan. 11 to get inside.
Sutton said the break-in triggered the building's alarm, but by the time police arrived, it was too late. The display case holding the handguns had been obliterated and a small cash-donation box was missing, he said.
The National Park Service is completely upgrading security at the visitors center, but Sutton declined to elaborate.
"We have added additional detectors in the building," he said. "We're always concerned about protecting our artifacts."
Officials believe whoever broke into the facility had intimate knowledge of its contents and layout, although Sutton said Doos is "unknown to us."
Sutton said the handguns won't be on display again for some time, noting that they aren't part of the permanent exhibit at the museum.
"We're glad we got them back," he said. "We hope to have a successful resolution, but it's not over yet."
The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are also assisting in the investigation, Sutton said.
Contact reporter Matt Wagner at mwagner@News-Leader.com."
Good news indeed.
Charles D. Hoskins
"Published April 6, 2004
Man charged in theft of battlefield pistols
George T. Doos, 44, faces four counts in connection with the stolen historic firearms.
By Matt Wagner
News-Leader
A Springfield man has been indicted on federal charges of possessing three antique pistols stolen from Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in January.
Convicted felon George T. Doos, 44, has been charged with four separate counts in connection with the Jan. 11 theft of the handguns, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Kansas City.
Doos was arrested Friday and is in custody at the Greene County Jail, where he's being held for U.S. marshals.
The federal indictment alleges that Doos received the stolen firearms — an M1849 .36-caliber Colt pocket revolver, a U.S. Model 1842 percussion pistol and a Model 1851 Colt Navy revolver — between Jan. 11 and March 16.
The Colt pocket revolver was previously owned by Confederate Col. E.B. Greer, who fought at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in August 1861. It's valued at $4,000.
The other two pistols were worth roughly $1,000 apiece.
All three are back at the battlefield in a secure place and have been for "several days," said park ranger John Sutton. An ongoing investigation precluded the battlefield from publicizing the development, he added.
Federal authorities believe Doos used physical force to prevent another person from notifying law enforcement about the stolen weapons.
Greene County sheriff's deputies and members of the Springfield Police Department's Special Response Team executed a search warrant at Doos' home March 22, said Detective Richard Mayo with the sheriff's department.
During the raid, authorities discovered a .32-caliber semi-automatic pistol with its serial number destroyed and a Taurus .38- special revolver.
No one has been arrested for breaking into the battlefield's visitor center and stealing the handguns, and Mayo declined to talk further about the ongoing investigation.
Sutton said the guilty party — or parties — shattered a $2,000 plate-glass window with a brick in the early hours of Jan. 11 to get inside.
Sutton said the break-in triggered the building's alarm, but by the time police arrived, it was too late. The display case holding the handguns had been obliterated and a small cash-donation box was missing, he said.
The National Park Service is completely upgrading security at the visitors center, but Sutton declined to elaborate.
"We have added additional detectors in the building," he said. "We're always concerned about protecting our artifacts."
Officials believe whoever broke into the facility had intimate knowledge of its contents and layout, although Sutton said Doos is "unknown to us."
Sutton said the handguns won't be on display again for some time, noting that they aren't part of the permanent exhibit at the museum.
"We're glad we got them back," he said. "We hope to have a successful resolution, but it's not over yet."
The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are also assisting in the investigation, Sutton said.
Contact reporter Matt Wagner at mwagner@News-Leader.com."
Good news indeed.
Charles D. Hoskins
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