Published: July 11, 2009 01:46 am      

Clarksville gun shop owner arrested for burglary in Floyds Knobs

The owner of a Clarksville gun shop was arrested late Friday morning after he was allegedly caught in the act of burglarizing a home in Floyd County.

Robert Johnston, 38, of New Albany, was booked into the Floyd County Jail on preliminary charges of burglary, theft and criminal trespassing.

“We received some information that possibly a burglary was getting ready to occur,” Floyd County Sheriff Darrell Mills said.

Mills said Johnston broke into a vacant house that is for sale on the 6800 block of Pete Andres Road in Floyds Knobs. Mills said that, although the house was mostly empty, several pool accessories were stacked inside the garage.

Floyd County police received a description of the suspect’s vehicle and surrounded the area with undercover police officers. When Johnston allegedly made forced entry through a rear door, he was arrested by officers.

Mills said Johnston previously lived in the area near where the burglary occurred.

Johnston owns 111 Gun Shop Inc., which is located at 911 Kopp Lane in Clarksville. Store employees said Friday afternoon that Johnston was not at the store but confirmed he owned the store.

Under Indiana law, anyone convicted of a felony cannot be issued a retail handgun dealer’s license or a license to carry a handgun.

Johnston will be held in the Floyd County Jail awaiting his first court appearance.