ST. LOUIS • A man from St. Louis County who burglarized a Wentzville gun store was sentenced in federal court here Monday to 70 months in prison.

Andre D. Legardy, 25, and others used a large rock to break the front window of Eagle Eye USA Shooting Sports on the evening of June 1, 2017. They then entered the store and took two 7.62x39 mm rifles and three 5.56 mm rifles, Legardy's guilty plea to a charge of stealing firearms says.

After the burglary, Legardy's blood was found on the broken glass, his plea says.

Eagle Eye manager Richard Brendle told the Post-Dispatch after the burglary that three people wearing dark hoodies and shorts were captured on store surveillance cameras. They were unable to break into shatter-resistant cases containing handguns, he said, and were apparently chased off by the loud alarm.

Although that crime was initially suspected to be connected to others in the area, Legardy's public defender, C.J. Banks, said there was no credible evidence connecting Legardy to any other burglaries.

Gun store burglaries have been on the rise in recent years, both in the St. Louis area and around the country.

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