Massive heist reported on South Fork

Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property stolen from residence

Posted 5/6/21

A burglar or burglars stole more than a half-million dollars worth of cash, coins and firearms from a South Fork home earlier this year, the Park County Sheriff’s Office announced …

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Massive heist reported on South Fork

Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property stolen from residence

Posted

A burglar or burglars stole more than a half-million dollars worth of cash, coins and firearms from a South Fork home earlier this year, the Park County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday. 

Sheriff Scott Steward said the theft — believed to have occurred sometime between late January and the end of February — was the largest he’s seen in his 30 years in law enforcement “by far.”

Steward said his office suspects several people were involved.

“Whoever it was, it was a targeted deal,” he said. “They knew what they were looking for.”

The unidentified victim of the crime is offering a $20,000 reward — valid through July 1 — for any information leading to the apprehension and prosecution of the thief or thieves.

The burglary, which occurred at a residence about 30 miles southwest of Cody, was discovered and reported to the sheriff’s office on Feb. 28.

Among the stolen items were roughly $200,000 in cash, gold and silver eagle coins valued at more than $60,000, a Rolex watch and more than 90 firearms. Some of the guns were “very valuable,” the sheriff’s office said, including three hand-engraved Fratelli Poli shotguns worth more than $15,000 apiece. Roughly 10 AR-15 and M4-type weapons also went missing, along with suppressors, range finders, thermal and night vision scopes, spotting scopes, crossbows and “much more,” said Charla Baugher Torczon, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office.

“Because of the magnitude of the theft, agents of the
Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation were immediately summoned to assist in the investigation,” Torczon said.

With the crime clearly having been a targeted burglary — and not wanting to jeopardize the early stages of the investigation — Steward said his office “chose not to go public with the information [earlier] as we did not feel there was a risk of further burglaries.”

Although it might take some time, the sheriff said Tuesday that he’s “pretty confident” the culprit or culprits will be caught; while declining to offer details, Steward said his office has enlisted some new technology in the investigation.

“I think we’re going to catch them,” he said.

Anyone with information about the South Fork burglary is being asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 307-527-8700 and speak with Investigator Jed Ehlers. Tips can also be emailed to tips@parkcountysheriff.net or submitted anonymously online at www.parkcountysheriff.net/tip-line/.

—By CJ Baker

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