New Dearborn Heights gun store broken into by suspects crashing car into it

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (FOX 2) - "In my mind it’s a disaster," said owner Bob Esko.

Esko's Gun Shop has only been open for six months, but an alarm call alerted the owner early Thursday morning.

"Upon arrival I observed a vehicle running inside my store, right here," he said. "I pulled my weapon and asked if anyone is in there, to come out with your hands up."

The two masked men were long gone and left empty-handed, because the guns were locked. They fled likely in a getaway vehicle, which was running nearby.

"We are going to find you, we are going to catch you," said Paul Vanderplow, ATF Detroit. "We have proven that. I have a better batting average than most of the Tigers did this season."

Over the last few months – there have been four robberies of gun stores between Dearborn Heights and Westland. The ATF says this latest one at Esko – could be a copycat.

"Incidents over the summer - we had all 10 of those individuals within two weeks," said Vanderplow, special agent in charge.

That crew had the same m.o. as the guys at Esko, and even did surveillance before the smash-and-grabs – walking in and taking notes on what guns they wanted.

"The individuals are looking to take these guns and put them in the hands of people that shouldn’t have them," Vanderplow said.

That crew was locked up, and federally charged.

The ATF is vowing a full-court press in this latest attempted robbery. Meanwhile, the shop is back up and running just hours after being victimized.

It suffered thousands in damages – but Esko has hope the bad guys will get caught.

"This is not a third-world country, this is the United States of America, we have the best FBI, ATF, taskforce, ever. These guys are not easy to play with."