Cops foil gun-shop break-in next to South Bay police station

4 burglary suspects in Milpitas we arrested after they attempted to hold up a gun store next to the police departmen. 4 burglary suspects in Milpitas we arrested after they attempted to hold up a gun store next to the police departmen. Photo: File Photo Photo: File Photo Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Cops foil gun-shop break-in next to South Bay police station 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Four burglary suspects were arrested in Milpitas on Wednesday morning after an ill-advised attempted heist at a gun store next to the police department, authorities said.

Around 2 a.m., a sergeant was leaving the station on North Milpitas Boulevard when he heard an alarm coming from the Target Masters West gun store and shooting range on Minnis Circle, which shares a fence with the police station parking lot, said Lt. Raj Maharaj, a police spokesman.

The sergeant went to take a look and saw a man jump from the roof of the gun store and hop into a waiting car, Maharaj said. The sergeant called for backup and the getaway car was pulled over a few blocks away, and two of the four suspects were taken into custody without incident.

Meanwhile, back at the gun store, officers spotted a third suspect inside the business through the glass doors holding a gun. He was ordered to drop the weapon, which he did, but because he had broken into the store through the roof, police were unable to take him into custody for more than two hours while they figured out how to unlock the doors.

Investigators learned that a fourth suspect had also fled from the scene, and officials called for backup from the San Jose Police Department and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, Maharaj said.

A perimeter was set up and the fourth suspect was spotted hopping a fence onto nearby railroad tracks. After a brief pursuit, he was taken into custody without incident, Maharaj said.

Investigators were working with employees from the shop to make sure all the inventory was accounted for and no weapons were missing. Officers also did a thorough sweep of the surrounding area to make sure no guns were tossed as the suspects fled.

As for why the would-be burglars would target a gun store so close to police headquarters, Maharaj said they likely weren’t aware of the proximity of the station, but he wouldn’t speculate further as he hadn’t interviewed any of the suspects.

Kale Williams is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kwilliams@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfkale