KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office says a rifle that was stolen from an off-duty road patrol deputy’s vehicle on September 23rd around 7 p.m. has been recovered.
The theft happened at a pub in the 4200 block of Portage Road when the deputy was dining with family, and a staff member witnessed the break-in and alerted the deputy.
Cortez Hopkins was identified as the suspect, and he was arrested September 25th hiding in an apartment closet near Drake Road in Kalamazoo. Hopkins is charged with stealing the gun.
The rifle remained missing until it was recovered on Friday, October 3rd.
The sheriff’s office has updated its policy to ban deputies from storing or leaving agency-issued firearms in personal vehicles. Those are now required to be stored securely and in accordance with established safe storage methods.
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