A string of gun thefts from unlocked cars in Elsberry came to a halt Sunday when police arrested two 18-year-old men investigators say swiped multiple handguns and sold at least some of them. Surveillance footage and a quick neighborhood stop led officers to several stolen firearms and a stack of felony charges in Lincoln County, authorities said. The Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has filed three counts of stealing a firearm against each defendant, and court paperwork shows one of the suspects is also accused of unlawfully entering a motor vehicle.
How police say the thefts unfolded
Officers started looking into reports of missing guns on Sunday and reviewed surveillance video that "showed three individuals pulling door handles and checking for unlocked vehicles near Hillcrest Drive," according to a police probable cause statement. Investigators say they followed leads in the neighborhood and found Xavier P. Maxwell, 18, and Terrance P. Rice Jr., 18, near Lovelace Lane and North Fifth Street, where they say Maxwell was carrying a backpack loaded with stolen weapons. According to FOX 2, detectives relied on the surveillance footage and that encounter to build the case.
Recovered guns and admissions
Investigators say they recovered a Glock 17, a Palmetto State Armory .45-caliber handgun, a Taurus G2C and a Taurus GX2, and that another stolen Taurus was later found in Rice's bedroom. Maxwell told officers he went "binking" to take items from unlocked vehicles and said he planned to sell the firearms, according to the probable cause statement. He also admitted selling two stolen guns in St. Louis. Those details are laid out in court records and were reported by FOX 2.
Charges, bond and next steps
The Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Maxwell and Rice with three counts of stealing a firearm. Maxwell also faces one count of second-degree burglary tied to unlawful entry into a motor vehicle. Prosecutors requested $25,000 cash-only bonds for both defendants and asked for GPS monitoring, according to the charging documents. A judge will weigh the bond request and set pretrial dates as the case moves forward in Lincoln County Circuit Court.
Where this fits locally
Elsberry residents have already watched several high-profile investigations unfold this year, including a December armed robbery at a downtown vape shop that left an employee injured. Local reporting has highlighted how Lincoln County investigators regularly rely on surveillance, GPS data and records from other jurisdictions to connect suspects to stolen property. For deeper background on recent cases and law-enforcement activity around Elsberry, see coverage by Lincoln CountyWatch.
Legal implications
Both defendants are staring down felony counts that can carry significant penalties if they are convicted, although the outcome will ultimately depend on how prosecutors and defense attorneys challenge the evidence in court. The probable cause statement, the seized weapons and any video footage or witness testimony are expected to be key during pretrial hearings. Police also repeated a familiar warning to lock vehicles and secure firearms, noting that many of these gun thefts are crimes of opportunity that start with an unlocked car door.
