Police Arrest Two Men and Impound a 1997 Mercedes and a Stolen Gun

Car was bullet proofed

Of The Skanner News

July 23, 2012

Thomas Earl Cooper Jr.

Portland Police officers arrested two men Saturday afternoon, after stopping a 1997 Mercedes Benz S500 sedan at North Vancouver Avenue and Buffalo Street for illegal window tinting and failure to signal a turn.

Driver, 24-year-old Thomas Earl Cooper Jr., and passenger, 20-year-old Antonio Richards Jr., left the car and started to walk away. Police say the gang enforcement officers knew the men and believe them to be gang associates.

Officers obtained consent to search the car and found two handguns in a compartment under the front floorboard. Police say the Mercedes was outfitted with bullet proof armor.

Antonio Richards Jr.

One of the handguns was reported stolen in 2012. Investigators were able to determine that the gun was stolen in this case because the victim maintained and reported the serial number of the guns, which greatly helps in determining ownership of recovered stolen property.

Cooper was charged with two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, two counts of Possession of a Loaded Firearm and one count of Theft in the First Degree.

Richards was charged with two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, two counts of Possession of a Loaded Firearm and one count of Theft in the First Degree.

Cooper and Richards were booked into the Multnomah County Jail.

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