Las Vegas man charged with theft after blood found at robbery in St. George gun shop

ST. GEORGE, Utah — A 41-year-old man from Las Vegas has been charged by a federal grand jury in Utah after he allegedly damaged a gun shop in St. George and then stole 17 firearms from the business.

“According to the allegations in the criminal complaint and law enforcement affidavit filed by federal prosecutors, (Brett Clinton) Combs used a rock to break into the Dixie Gun & Fish store in St. George during the early morning hours of March 4, 2022,” a press release from the District of Utah stated Thursday.

When St. George police officers arrived, they found the front glass door of Dixie Gun & Fish shattered and several cases containing firearms damaged.

Video surveillance from the business, according to the release, showed a single suspect breaking the door with a rock before entering.

“Continued surveillance footage showed the same suspect breaking several display cases, removing several firearms from the display cases, and then placing the firearms in a duffle bag, before exiting the business,” the release stated.

It was later determined that 17 9mm semi-automatic pistols were taken from the St. George business. While investigating the scene, officers located a substance resembling blood on broken glass. It was sent to the Utah State Bureau of Forensic Services, where it was determined to match the DNA profile of Brett Clinton Combs of Las Vegas.

“Additionally, one of the stolen firearms was recovered in conjunction with a separate crime in Las Vegas,” the release stated.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys are prosecuting the case, while special agents from the ATF, along with officers from the St. George Police Department, are conducting the investigation.

Clinton’s charges include theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer and being a restricted person in possession of firearms.