The Lincoln Police Department’s SWAT team burst into a downtown apartment Monday night and found two 17-year-old boys and 26 firearms, most of which were loaded.

“Most of these firearms were loaded, with rounds in the chamber,” Police Chief Tom Casady said. “The ammunition, hundreds upon hundreds of rounds, were sorted and laid out.”

The guns and ammunition were stolen early Monday  from Scheels All Sports in the SouthPointe Pavilions shopping center, he said.

Twenty-six guns were recovered, but more than 50 were still missing Tuesday.

On Monday night, police took Michael Nimox of 127 W. B St. and Cleophus Collier, 1724 L St., Apt. 1B, both 17, into custody.

Authorities would not say what led them to the L Street apartment, but Casady did say police consider the same group suspects in a July 26 break-in at Nebraska Gun at 19th and M streets.

He described the Scheels break-in as gang-related.

According to court records, Collier is believed to be one of two people seen on a store surveillance video. Police still are looking for another suspect seen on the video.

Casady said the SWAT team served a search warrant about 11 p.m. Monday at an apartment at 1724 L St. rented by Collier’s mother. In the apartment, he said, police found Collier and Nimox, four high-powered rifles and 22 handguns.

Investigators followed leads into the night, which resulted in another arrest and the recovery of four more stolen guns, he said.

Casady said Jameal Gaines, 16, was arrested early Tuesday morning at his home at 1237 N. 21st St. with a loaded .40-caliber Glock in a briefcase in his bedroom closet.

Police found three more handguns in a trash bin near 26th and Dudley streets.

Finding the missing guns — and arresting everyone suspected of being involved in stealing them — is the police department’s No. 1 priority, Casady said.

“I can guarantee that everyone at the police department realizes the threat that this represents.”

He said he’s concerned with the suspects’ ages and their circle of friends.

The three teens are being held at the Juvenile Detention Center. Prosecutors charged them Tuesday afternoon with theft by receiving stolen property. Collier also was charged with two counts of burglary.

They appeared in Lancaster County Court Tuesday with chains around their waists and ankles.

Collier was jailed on a $200,000 percentage bond; the other two on $40,000 each.

Judge Jean Lovell appointed the Lancaster County Public Defender’s Office to defend each of the three and set a hearing for next week to consider transferring the cases to juvenile court.

According to court records, Nimox and Gaines were on home detention conditional release from the Juvenile Detention Center. Gaines was on electronic monitoring for a number of allegations, including theft. Nimox had been in Juvenile Court for allegations including theft and being in a stolen car. Both are students at North Star High School, according to Lincoln Public Schools. LPS said Collier is not enrolled in school now, and has not been for a year or more.

The Scheels break-in happened about 1:40 a.m. Monday, when two people in hooded sweatshirts shattered the glass on  walk-in doors at Scheels, pried open the security cage at the entrance, then headed upstairs to the guns, police said.

They were in and out within eight minutes. Casady didn’t say how they got the guns and ammunition out so quickly.  

On Tuesday, the chief asked for the public’s help finding a white 2000 Oldsmobile Alero stolen Sunday night from Trust Auto Sales at 233 N. 19th St. Sunday night.

A tip led police to the car Tuesday evening, partially concealed by brush in the 1800 block of M Street.

Capt. Dave Beggs said police were searching the car Tuesday evening.

Capt. Jim Thoms said the two-door Alero was stolen from the car lot between 8 p.m. and 11:50 p.m. Sunday. The car had no plates and had after-market rims, he said.

Casady said the the car may or may not be connected to the Scheels break-in. He said the group of teenagers has a history of stealing cars from used car lots in north Lincoln.

A stolen Jeep was used to ram the front window of the gun store at 19th and M streets on July 26. All but two of the shotguns and handguns taken during that burglary were found near 19th and Holdrege streets. No arrests were made.

In any given year, Casady said,  between 100 and 200 guns are reported stolen in Lincoln. In the past three months, three dozen have been stolen, not counting Monday’s break-in at Scheels.

He recalled several cases over the years in which many guns were stolen at the same time but never quite this many at one time.

“We’re talking about a great deal of danger when these stolen guns diffuse to the four winds and we’re very anxious to recover as many as we can,” Casady said.

Special Agent Mike Schmitz, a  spokesman for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms and Tobacco in Kansas City, said all reported firearm thefts come to the attention of the bureau, but the number of guns taken from Scheels prompted greater concern.

“Right off the bat, they’re in the wrong hands and they’re probably going to end up in the wrong hands,” he said. “That’s a real concern and obviously the primary concern is public safety.”

ATF agents periodically inspect all licensed firearms dealers, checking their gun inventories and the accuracy of their records. Extensive dealer regulations do not include requirements on storing firearms when businesses are closed. For example, the law doesn’t require a dealer to remove handguns from glass display cases and lock them in a vault after closing, Schmitz said.

Juveniles might be motivated to steal firearms, at least in part, because they cannot legally buy or possess them. Federal law prohibits those younger than 18 from owning shotguns and rifles and those younger than 21 from owning handguns.

Reach Lori Pilger at 473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. Joe Duggan contributed to this report.