Police: Gun stolen from courthouse after it was left in men's room

Police in Derry on Tuesday were searching for a gun that was stolen after a court security officer accidentally left it in the men's room.Click to watch News 9's coverage.Officials said the gun was left in the men's bathroom at Derry Circuit Court on Monday."About 10:30 in the morning, we received a phone call from Derry Circuit Court," said Capt. Vern Thomas. "They were concerned about a firearm that was missing over there."Court officials said the missing firearm belongs to a veteran court security officer who had his weapon at the beginning of his shift, but at 10:30 a.m., he realized it was gone."Apparently, a court security officer left the weapon accidentally in the restroom in the morning and discovered it missing and then called us," Thomas said.There are no security cameras in the restroom, but several are installed outside and inside the courthouse, and investigators said those could provide some leads."We went over and helped them search the area and took the police report for it," Thomas said. "We later notified state police and requested that they come down and do an article search for the firearm, and they did that for us. We did not locate the weapon."Officials said the court security officer is "off the schedule" as the investigation continues. The officer's identity has not been released.Court officials said an incident like this has never happened before in Derry.12967056

Police in Derry on Tuesday were searching for a gun that was stolen after a court security officer accidentally left it in the men's room.

Click to watch News 9's coverage.


Officials said the gun was left in the men's bathroom at Derry Circuit Court on Monday.

"About 10:30 in the morning, we received a phone call from Derry Circuit Court," said Capt. Vern Thomas. "They were concerned about a firearm that was missing over there."

Court officials said the missing firearm belongs to a veteran court security officer who had his weapon at the beginning of his shift, but at 10:30 a.m., he realized it was gone.

"Apparently, a court security officer left the weapon accidentally in the restroom in the morning and discovered it missing and then called us," Thomas said.

There are no security cameras in the restroom, but several are installed outside and inside the courthouse, and investigators said those could provide some leads.

"We went over and helped them search the area and took the police report for it," Thomas said. "We later notified state police and requested that they come down and do an article search for the firearm, and they did that for us. We did not locate the weapon."

Officials said the court security officer is "off the schedule" as the investigation continues. The officer's identity has not been released.

Court officials said an incident like this has never happened before in Derry.