LUCASVILLE — Guns are among the most popular items being stolen as a part of a string of burglaries in the area. Six or more guns were reportedly stolen, along with TVs and jewelry valued at $9,900, from a Shonkwiler Road, Lucasville, residence Friday. Those guns included a .25-caliber handgun, valued at $700, and a 410 double-barrel shotgun, valued at $1,500.

A burglary on Ohio 125 at West Portsmouth on Saturday resulted in the theft of a Remington 870 20-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 122 .22-caliber rifle and some Longaberger baskets.

A burglary on Allegheny Hill area of Wheelersburg on Saturday resulted in the theft of a 12-gauge shotgun, valued at $600, a single-shot 20-gauge shotgun valued at $150, and a Beretta Pistol, valued at $800.

“Lots of times they will sell them (guns). Lots of times you’ll find out they will trade them for drugs,” Scioto County Sheriff Marty V. Donini said. “A few times you will find them in a pawn shop out of town. But that is kind of risky because most pawn shops have to run the serial numbers. There have been times when we have found them at a doper‘s (drug dealer) house. That is why we usually take all the guns and then run them in a search warrant.”

FRANK LEWIS may be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232, or flewis@heartlandpublications.com.