A 25-year-old Pierce County man has been charged with stealing guns from his grandfather and pawning them.
Stephan Kontorowicz pleaded not guilty to theft of a firearm and first-degree trafficking in stolen property during his arraignment Wednesday.
The thefts occurred over four days in June 2010, prosecutors allege. Kontorowicz’s grandfather, who collected guns, reported someone had pried open his front door and taken six handguns, three rifles and more than 400 DVDs.
There was a delay in the guns being entered in the Sheriff Department’s database of stolen weapons because the victim needed time to track down the serial numbers.
One of the stolen rifles was recovered in July at a pawn shop. Deputies questioned the current owner and the store clerk and learned Kontorowicz had allegedly sold it for $100 shortly after the theft.
Kontorowicz turned himself in Aug. 15, and told deputies he planned to check himself into drug rehab.
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