SHILLONG, APR 15: The three persons arrested for stealing a .303 rifle from the MCCL Factory store room at Sohra intended to sell it to make money, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police (SP) Vivek Syiem said on Wednesday.

Police recovered the stolen rifle, bearing number 3709740, from the house of Alpha Mary Jyrwa, grandmother of one of the accused, at Mawkisyiem, Sohra.

The weapon was reported missing on April 11.

“Sohra police station had taken a lot of pain to actually trace out the accused and finally yesterday they arrested three people,” Syiem said.

The arrested have been identified as Shaiborlang Jyrwa, Sawbor Sooting and Teilang Sohkhia.

Focusing on the motive, the SP said the theft was financially driven.

“The intention was to actually sell it to people who shoot animals or birds. Their purpose is to get money out of it. Anybody who wants to buy a weapon, especially those who want to go hunting they can use it,” he said.

He added that interrogation of the trio is continuing.

“Nevertheless, we will be questioning them further,” Syiem stated.

The SP noted that poor storage of the weapon enabled the theft.

“The weapon appears it was not kept in a proper place that was secured and that is how these thieves could get and steal the weapon,” he said.

He called for stricter security at such facilities.

“In fact, there has to be proper armoury where they should keep their weapons. It has to be a secured place where they keep the weapon,” Syiem said.