A man was arrested after more than 1,000 guns were recovered from a Bel-Air home Wednesday during an investigation into the illegal selling and manufacturing of weapons, officials said.
Girard Saenz, 57, of Los Angeles, was arrested on suspicion of distributing, transporting, importing, selling, or lending an assault weapon, Los Angeles Police Department said.
LAPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives officials were conducting a joint investigation when a search warrant was served at the home on the 100 block of North Beverly Glen Boulevard at about 4 a.m., police said.
Aerial video from Sky5 showed federal agents and police examining thousands of guns laid out in a courtyard area of the home. The property is in an upscale area of multi-million-dollar homes.
LAPD Lt. Chris Ramirez said the guns are of all makes, calibers and models, and that more than 1,000 rounds of live ammunition were also recovered from the home. The weapons will be itemized and booked into evidence, the lieutenant said.
Some of the guns seized during an investigation in Bel-Air are shown in photos released by the LAPD on May 8, 2019.
“This is a big stash,” Ramirez said. “It’s beyond comprehension that somebody can have so many weapons in a residence like this, in a neighborhood like this.”
He added that the incident appears to be isolated and that there is no threat to the public, but the weapons could have ended up in the wrong hands.
