Police said the cruiser was locked and the rifle properly secured, but someone was still able to steal it while the car was parked in a garage in Malden.
A Massachusetts State Police rifle was stolen from a locked cruiser parked overnight at a Malden housing complex, the agency said Thursday.
Investigators believe that whoever took the rifle forced their way into the cruiser. The gun, a department-issued patrol rifle, had been secured in a mount, police said.
There is no indication the rifle was used after being stolen, according to police.
The investigation into what happened remains ongoing.
