If I ever sat down to create a hierarchy of scumbags, those who use a disaster to steal things from law-abiding folks are going to be up near the top. Pedophiles are going to be at the tip-top, of course, but these guys won't be all that far below them.

I get why some people do it, mind you. I can put myself in their disgusting mind enough to recognize the thought processes involved, namely that the authorities are pretty busy with more important things, and with the power out after something like a hurricane, security devices aren't going to work, either. No alarms, no cameras, nothing.

But that doesn't make it right.

When it happens with a gun store, though, that opens up all sorts of problems. For one thing, people stealing a pile of guns aren't generally getting them because they live in a rough neighborhood and they plan to settle up with the store after the power comes back on.

This is where the ATF can actually do something worth a damn. They can try to catch the dirtbags responsible, and in the aftermath of Helene, that's what they're trying to do.

ederal officials are asking the public for help after multiple weapons were stolen from an Asheville, North Carolina, gun shop just days after Helene devastated the city.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which is the trade association for the firearms industry, released information about the heist on Tuesday.

...

Officers from the Asheville Police Department were called to the store after in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, officials said

"A suspect or suspects gained entrance to the business while power in most of the area was out and many buildings and roads were inaccessible," officials said. "Multiple firearms and other devices were taken."

Officials say the break-in happened at Carolina Guns and Gear West, located at 3106 Sweeten Creek Road in Asheville. They're offering a $10,000 reward, which is the usual for information leading to an arrest in a gun store burglary.

My hope is that the ATF isn't just sitting around waiting for the reward offer to pan out, but is actively looking for the thieves. After all, this is one of the few things no one gets upset at the ATF looking into. This isn't cracking down on lawful gun dealers or regular folks just trying to live their lives. This is going after actual criminals for a change.

I don't know if they are or aren't, though, and that's troubling.

Still, they're at least doing something.

If you know anything, call the ATF at 888-ATF-TIPS, or 888-283-8477. You can also email them at  [email protected], or through the agency's website: www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips. Let's see these thieves arrested and brought to justice, not just because they stole guns and will likely provide them to others who would use them illegally, thus justifying more gun control that wouldn't impact them in the least, but also because these scumbags took advantage of horrific tragedy to enrich themselves.

Let's get them in cuffs so they can rot in prison.