Multiple Stolen Firearms Recovered After Elsberry Vehicle Break-In Investigation
- John Eads
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Elsberry, Mo. — Several firearm owners across Elsberry recently walked out to their vehicles and discovered the same thing.
Their guns were gone.
What began as a series of vehicle break-ins quickly turned into a stolen firearm investigation after police linked multiple missing handguns to two suspects and recovered several of the stolen weapons before they could disappear for good.
Terrance Patrick Rice, Elsberry, Missouri
Charges:
• Burglary 2nd Degree
• Stealing a Firearm (3 Counts)
Xavier P. Maxwell, St. Charles, Missouri
Charges:
• Burglary 2nd Degree
• Stealing a Firearm (3 Counts)
A Glock 17.
A Taurus GX2.
A Palmetto State Armory handgun.
Those were among the firearms reported stolen after someone spent the night moving through Elsberry neighborhoods checking vehicle door handles and targeting unlocked vehicles.
As reports began coming in, officers reviewed surveillance footage from around the city. The video reportedly showed individuals moving from vehicle to vehicle, testing door handles and looking for easy opportunities.
The search for those responsible didn’t take long.
Later that same day, officers encountered two individuals near Lovelace Lane and North Fifth Street who matched the descriptions captured on surveillance footage.
One of them was carrying a backpack.
Inside were firearms that had been reported stolen only hours earlier.
What started as a vehicle break-in investigation suddenly had stolen guns, suspects, and evidence all in the same place.
As detectives continued following leads, additional evidence led to another stolen handgun being recovered from a residence connected to the case.
By the end of the investigation, multiple stolen firearms had been recovered and felony charges had been filed against both men.
For the victims, it meant getting stolen firearms back before they disappeared into the streets.
For investigators, it closed the loop on a case that started with unlocked vehicles and ended with multiple recovered guns.
Both men remain in custody at the Lincoln County Jail.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If you have information, corrections, or tips, contact Lincoln CountyWatch at tips@LincolnCountyWatch.com or call/text 636-377-0201.
Lincoln CountyWatch is not affiliated with any law enforcement agency or government entity.
Story by John Eads
Sources:
Lincoln County Circuit Court
Elsberry Police Department