Soldier's Stolen Gun Returned 5 Months Later

An Oklahoma soldier's prized-possession is back in his hands.

News 9 reported on the crime back in January.

Someone burglarized Curt Haynes' home in Lexington and stole several guns, including one his men gave him for his leadership during deployment.

Haynes was deployed to Afghanistan for most of 2013 and had only been home for two weeks when the burglary happened.

"I thought that gun was gone," explained Haynes. "I thought we'd never see it again." 

He had given up hope on finding his sentimental .45-caliber revolver.

"It means the world to me, you can't explain what it means," said Haynes about the gun.

However, at C&J Sporting Goods in Bethany, owner Jason Davis was watching Haynes' story on News 9 five months ago and it stuck with him.

"That story meant a lot to me that somebody goes in there and breaks into somebody's house and takes something that sentimental," Davis said.

1/16/2014 Related Story: Metro Family Offers Reward For Stolen Gun

On June 24, a long-time customer brought in the gun Davis had seen in our report.

"All of a sudden, I was like, ‘Wait a minute, I remember that,' and that's when we started putting it all together," Davis explained.

The gun has a 45th Infantry Thunderbird emblem on it and the years of Haynes' service during Operation Enduring Freedom from 2012-2013.

Davis tracked down Haynes to make sure the serial numbers and paperwork matched.

"He goes, ‘You don't have my gun,' and I said, ‘No, actually I'm holding it right here,' and he was ecstatic," Davis said.

Haynes said Davis is a man with high morals, who has earned his business for the rest of his life.

"There still is good people out there," said Haynes. "Even though I had a bad experience, my bad experience has turned into a good experience," he added.

Davis said it was his honor to send the gun home.

"Just our troops, what they do every day for us, you know, my family is able to do what they do because of them and so just to get that gun back to him, that is thanks," Davis said.

The man who brought Haynes' gun to Davis' store is out two guns - the stolen one and the rifle he traded for it at a swap meet.

He said he never knew it was stolen, and he is glad to help a soldier get back what was his all along.

At the time of our last report, detectives with the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office arrested James Newsom and said he is the prime suspect in Haynes' burglary.