Staff Reports
Columbus police recovered a stolen firearm and arrested a local man on weapons charges after stopping a vehicle for an expired license plate.
Officers stopped the vehicle near 17th Street and Central Avenue at 1 a.m. Tuesday, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
Officers spoke to the driver — Barrett B. Finke, 31, of 5301 E. County Road 800N — and determined he had a firearm in the vehicle, Harris said.
The officers secured the handgun and determined it was reported stolen to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department in October 2014. Finke told officers he purchased the handgun after seeing an online advertisement and did not realize it was stolen, Harris said.
Finke was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of a handgun without a license and receiving stolen property-firearm, jail officials said.
He was released in lieu of $12,500 bond, jail officials said.
