A Missouri couple says they have no choice but to shut down their gun store, just weeks after two juveniles allegedly used a stolen car to smash through the store's front door. Daniel and Heidi Mull opened Adventure Outdoors in downtown Liberty, Missouri just three years ago, and business was good... at least until the young thieves destroyed their livelihood in a matter of minutes. 

One of the two juveniles that police believe are responsible for the smash-and-grab break-in of a Missouri gun shop is still on the run, while the second is due back in court on September 9th for a hearing to determine whether he'll be charged as an adult in the break-in. It's entirely possible, if not likely, that the pair will spend little time behind bars if they're convicted or plead guilty to their crimes, but the consequences of their actions will forever change the lives of their victims. 

“We were celebrating our third year, we were two weeks into our 3rd anniversary, and everything was fantastic and now everything is just gone,” Daniel Mull, the Co-Owner of Adventure Outdoors said.

Not just gone, but gone all under two minutes after thieves rammed a stolen car through the front doors here at Adventure Outdoors and then making a run for it in a getaway car.

“We really try to make it a family thing, not just a business but a family experience, teaching our kids about entrepreneurship, how to make money, how to make a deal. All the things that were involved with the business,” Heidi said.

But now the very real personal life lessons they were giving to their children have all gone out the door.

The Mulls, in a fight with their insurance company, are unable to re-stock the lost inventory, pay the rent or the utilities to keep the place open and even if they tried, the expenses outweigh what’s left.

So, closing the doors to this dream of theirs is the only option.

According to Liberty Police Chief Nathan Mulch, the two juveniles, whose ages have not been disclosed, drove a stolen car into the storefront, then jumped out with sledgehammers in hand and proceeded to destroy the cases containing most of the store's inventory. Daniel Mull says the thieves then drove away in another stolen car, along with almost every firearm in the shop. 

“I think it’s extremely sad that a mom-and-pop business like this is facing bankruptcy over these two juveniles smashing a car through the front of the business and stealing tens of thousands of dollars of merchandise,” said Mulch. “This is not normal. So it did upset quite a few of them and a lot of them are now looking at safety precautions for their own businesses.”

It's heartbreaking. But it's also infuriating to think that these kids could get off with a slap on the wrist, which is almost certainly going to be the case if they are tried in juvenile court. 

Smash-and-grab burglaries of gun shops are becoming increasingly common, and all too often it's the same pattern: juveniles steal a car, then use it to burst through the front door or window of a shop before quickly fleeing the scene with their arms full of purloined pistols, rifles, and shotguns. In just the past month we've covered similar incidents in Indiana, Florida, and North Carolina, but there've been additional incidents as well. Two gun shops in Colorado Springs were also recent targets of thieves using a stolen car to break in, and police say even when an arrest is made the suspects are quickly let loose if they're underage.

“When it comes to Kia’s and Hyundais for whatever reason they are just easier to steal, it seems like the way that they are manufactured. The biggest thing that we see when it comes to these types of burglaries is its a lot of juvenile crime... Most of them seem to be juveniles so under the age of 18″, said Caitlin Ford, Public Information Officer for CSPD.

Police say the challenge with addressing these types of crimes is the youth that are caught for burglaries cannot be held in custody for extended periods of time. Now police are working to ensure the safety of businesses in our community. 

”We are working on trying to identify those patterns of crime so that we can identify those repeat offenders. Try to get some higher sentencing and some higher accountability for them even if they are juveniles. Working with our partners across the justice system to be able to do that. the other things that we are doing- crime prevention officers are always available for businesses to provide, (CPTEDs) which is crime prevention through environmental design,” said Ford.

Erecting concrete pillars that can block vehicles from smashing into storefronts is probably a wise choice for gun shops, at least wherever possible, but if there are few legal consequences for juveniles who commit these crimes we're going to see this trend continue no matter what environmental design changes are made... and the damage to these businesses and the communities they serve is more than just cosmetic. These teens are helping to arm criminals illegally, but they're also destroying the lives and livelihoods of victims like the Mulls. A short stint in juvenile detention and a couple of years on probation sends the message that crime actually does pay, while leaving gun store owners to pick up the shattered pieces of their business... or close down altogether.