The Springfield Police Unit took a loaded, stolen gun off the streets and cuffed three youths yesterday, demonstrating the unending fight against juvenile crime. In a coordinated sting, detectives from the Springfield Police Firearms Investigation Unit (FIU) collared a 17-year-old boy allegedly carrying the illicit weapon, as reported by the Boston Police Department.
Acting on a tip-off received the same day, the FIU managed to spot a vehicle carrying five individuals near State St. and MGM Way around 8:15 p.m. and promptly initiated a traffic stop. During the check, officers discovered the loaded gun and determined that it was reported stolen from East Hartford, Connecticut, leading to the arrest of a 17-year-old male, according to Springfield Police Department's official release.
The crackdown didn't end with the recovery of the weapon. The driver of the car, another 17-year-old boy, found himself on the wrong side of the law; he was arrested for driving without a license. A twist in the search brought more incriminating evidence when officers found ammunition stuffed inside the sweatshirt of another teen, who was subsequently taken into custody.
The two other teens present in the car during the incident were questioned but later released. The names and specific charges against the arrested youths are withheld due to their minor status, as per police policy.
