Rifles missing from American Legion Post

Two ceremonial rifles are missing from American Legion Post 157 in Electric City.

Both of the missing rifles had been reported stolen back in 1990.

The Legion post gets its ceremonial rifles from the Army and on a regular schedule turns them back for replacements.

The two missing rifles, one of them a Springfield M1903 and the other an Enfield M1917, had been reported stolen back in 1990 by Colville Tribal Police and San Antonio, Texas police.

The two rifles were part of a six-rifle batch provided by the Army. When a local Legion official checked on getting replacements for rifle obtained in 2010, Army officials said that rifles furnished back in the 1990s hadn't been returned, and that the Army lacked paperwork on the six guns involved.

Police were informed Dec. 30, that two ceremonial guns are missing from the American Legion Post.

Sgt. of Arms Dennis Buchanan II, told police that he noticed the rifles were missing after being in contact with the Army in an effort to get new guns. He went to the gun safe and could only find four guns from the batch the Army was concerned about. Buchanan was advised by Army officials that the return of the rifles was overdue, as were inventory reports for 2010 and 2013.

Post Commander Cynthia Jayne said she has held her office for three years and had never received an inventory report on the guns, which were locked in a safe.

The Legion uses the rifles during ceremonial duties.

Jayne stated that, in investigating, she has found uncompleted forms reporting the rifles stolen from years ago when someone else had noticed that the two guns were unaccounted for.