LineDoggie
04-26-2009, 09:57 PM
Alabama lawmen recover World War II weapons in Bibb County creek
A small cache of Japanese, Italian and German World War II-era weapons found dumped in a Bibb County creek is baffling to even the most veteran lawmen.
The firepower, discovered by a state road crew conducting a bridge inspection just north of Centreville late last week, is illegal to own, still in working condition and probably worth in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, said David Hyche, resident agent in charge at the Birmingham office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
"I've never encountered anything like it in my 21 years," Hyche said. "It's amazing to us what was recovered there. These are things you see in the movies on a Saturday afternoon."
Amazing, and potentially dangerous, he said.
"It's a significant arsenal if it got into the wrong hands," Hyche said.
Bibb County Sheriff Keith Hannah said state road workers called his office on Thursday after spotting the weapons.
Hannah sent a sheriff's dive team into the water, where they found four Japanese machine guns, a Japanese anti-tank cannon, an Italian machine gun, a Japanese 50 mm mortar and a Thompson submachine gun, also known as the Tommy Gun, a popular Prohibition-era weapon.
Authorities recovered two other weapons, but are withholding a description to help in the investigation, should someone with information call.
The weapons were found in water that ranged from four to 12 feet deep and Hannah said they had been there probably less than 24 hours.
"No silt had washed over them and they had not even started rusting," the sheriff said
The weapons were field tested and the majority are in working condition and could be fired with modern ammunition.
"Can you imagine if these had gotten into the wrong hands?" Hyche said.
Hyche said it wasn't difficult after World War II to bring weapons back as souvenirs, and there was a period where they could have been legally registered.
The guns found in Bibb County were not legally imported or registered, Hyche said.
Authorities can only speculate for now how the guns ended up in a creek. They may have been taken in a burglary, a robbery or simply been found by a family member of a veteran who didn't know what to do with them, Hannah and Hyche said.
"Obviously, we want to find out if there's more," Hyche said.
Investigators believe whoever had these weapons bragged to someone else. "The chances of having these in your house and not showing them off is slim," Hyche said.
They want to talk with anyone who may have been associated with the weapons. They also are trying to locate a museum interested in displaying them.
"We don't want to destroy pieces of history," Hyche said.
Anyone with information on the weapons is asked to call ATF at 205-583-5970 or the Bibb County Sheriff's Office at 205-926-4683.
http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/stories/index.ssf?/base/news/1239696950298400.xml&coll=2
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/linedoggie/post-68-1240795732.jpg
A Thompson M1928A1
Japanese Type 100 Submachinegun in 8mm Nambu
Japanese Type 98 (Copy of the German MG-15 Aircraft gun)
Japanese Type Ho-103(Copy of the Browning M1921 Aircraft Gun)
Japanese Type 99 Light Machinegun
Japanese Anti Tank Gun (UNK Des)
Japanese Type 89 50mm Grenade Discharger ( Knee Mortar )
Italian Beretta M1938
A small cache of Japanese, Italian and German World War II-era weapons found dumped in a Bibb County creek is baffling to even the most veteran lawmen.
The firepower, discovered by a state road crew conducting a bridge inspection just north of Centreville late last week, is illegal to own, still in working condition and probably worth in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, said David Hyche, resident agent in charge at the Birmingham office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
"I've never encountered anything like it in my 21 years," Hyche said. "It's amazing to us what was recovered there. These are things you see in the movies on a Saturday afternoon."
Amazing, and potentially dangerous, he said.
"It's a significant arsenal if it got into the wrong hands," Hyche said.
Bibb County Sheriff Keith Hannah said state road workers called his office on Thursday after spotting the weapons.
Hannah sent a sheriff's dive team into the water, where they found four Japanese machine guns, a Japanese anti-tank cannon, an Italian machine gun, a Japanese 50 mm mortar and a Thompson submachine gun, also known as the Tommy Gun, a popular Prohibition-era weapon.
Authorities recovered two other weapons, but are withholding a description to help in the investigation, should someone with information call.
The weapons were found in water that ranged from four to 12 feet deep and Hannah said they had been there probably less than 24 hours.
"No silt had washed over them and they had not even started rusting," the sheriff said
The weapons were field tested and the majority are in working condition and could be fired with modern ammunition.
"Can you imagine if these had gotten into the wrong hands?" Hyche said.
Hyche said it wasn't difficult after World War II to bring weapons back as souvenirs, and there was a period where they could have been legally registered.
The guns found in Bibb County were not legally imported or registered, Hyche said.
Authorities can only speculate for now how the guns ended up in a creek. They may have been taken in a burglary, a robbery or simply been found by a family member of a veteran who didn't know what to do with them, Hannah and Hyche said.
"Obviously, we want to find out if there's more," Hyche said.
Investigators believe whoever had these weapons bragged to someone else. "The chances of having these in your house and not showing them off is slim," Hyche said.
They want to talk with anyone who may have been associated with the weapons. They also are trying to locate a museum interested in displaying them.
"We don't want to destroy pieces of history," Hyche said.
Anyone with information on the weapons is asked to call ATF at 205-583-5970 or the Bibb County Sheriff's Office at 205-926-4683.
http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/stories/index.ssf?/base/news/1239696950298400.xml&coll=2
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h222/linedoggie/post-68-1240795732.jpg
A Thompson M1928A1
Japanese Type 100 Submachinegun in 8mm Nambu
Japanese Type 98 (Copy of the German MG-15 Aircraft gun)
Japanese Type Ho-103(Copy of the Browning M1921 Aircraft Gun)
Japanese Type 99 Light Machinegun
Japanese Anti Tank Gun (UNK Des)
Japanese Type 89 50mm Grenade Discharger ( Knee Mortar )
Italian Beretta M1938