Law enforcement officers in Indiana are still searching for a stolen gun that was taken from a police vehicle last Friday. While police officers in Anderson, Indiana were conducting a drug raid of a neighborhood home, two of their patrol cars were broken into. An AR-15 assault rifle, ammo, tactical body armor, and more were taken from the cars, one of which had been left unlocked accidentally. Police were able to recover some of the stolen items behind a nearby shop, but the assault weapon remains missing.

The incident illustrates the need for smart firearms safety technology and smart guns. If law enforcement officers had been using smart guns, a missing weapon wouldn’t be nearly as concerning as it is for these Indiana policemen. Smart firearm technology employs user authentication as a means for ensuring that a gun only fires for its intended user. In other words, a lost or stolen gun could not be used by a criminal or second-hand user.

We want our police officers to protect the public without having to worry about their weapons being stolen or even used against the officers themselves. This is why law enforcement agencies across the country are taking a serious interest in smart firearms safety technology. Smart guns can not only improve public safety, but perhaps they can make the jobs of thousands of police officers a little easier.

Originally published by CBS4 Indiana:

ANDERSON, Ind. (Sept. 18, 2015) — Anderson police are trying to track down a stolen AR-15 assault rifle snatched from a police car while officers were raiding a house looking for drugs this week. After busting down the front door of a home on West 21st street, Anderson police say they found cocaine hidden in a cookie jar and heroin on a kitchen cabinet.

The drug raid came as no surprise to neighbors.

“They’ve been using drugs. We’ve seen them dealing drugs behind the garage and everything else. We figured they’d get busted sooner or later,” said neighbor Jim Dickinson.

Police arrested Johnnie Gosha and the mother of his child Leeza Sanders on drug charges.

After the raid, police returned to their cars parked on a nearby street and found two police cars had been broken into. An assault rifle, ammo, tactical body armor and more were missing.

“That is awful bold to be doing something like that,” said Dickinson.

Anderson police admit their police car had been left unlocked by mistake.

Officers on scene quickly arrested Johnnie Gosha’s sister Leseka for allegedly serving as a lookout.

“I think it’s straight bull,” said Leseka Gosha.

Leseka claims she came to the street after hearing about the raid, but had nothing to do with the theft.

“I didn’t have no part in it. I’m no thief,” said Leseka. “He put handcuffs of me for no reason. Theft? I don’t think so.”

Police were able to recover some of their stolen items behind a nearby barbershop, but the rifle remains missing.

Officers arrested a fourth man, Allen Wade, for allegedly driving the car used in the theft, but the identity of the man who actually stole the weapon remains a mystery.

“I think it’s incredibly brazen. The security of our equipment as a top priority to us,” said Anderson police Sgt. Chad Boynton.

Anderson police are asking anyone with information on the case or the stolen gun to contact their department.