The State - News from March 11, 1986

Thieves cut through the roof and concrete arms vault of a U.S. Army Reserve armory in Chico over the weekend and stole an undisclosed number of weapons, the Butte County Sheriff’s Department reported. Sheriff’s Capt. Mick Grey said the thieves “were selective in what they took, primarily automatic weapons,” but that the armory’s weapons supply also included grenade and rocket launchers as well as mortars. The thieves left behind “quite a few weapons,” Grey said, adding that he did not know how much ammunition, if any, was taken. The Army refused to comment, and the FBI, which sealed off the armory in preparation for an inventory, declined immediate comment. Grey said there were no messages or slogans left at the armory to indicate who the thieves were. In San Francisco, a 6th Army Presidio spokeswoman said the Chico armory, which is base for about 80 reservists, was not fitted with a burglar alarm.