PORTLAND -- Two men described by police as gang members were arrested Saturday in a Mercedes lined with bullet-proof armor.
Officers pulled the car over about 5:30 p.m. at North Vancouver and Buffalo, said Sgt. Pete Simpson.
Two men walked away from the car and they were taken into custody without incident. Police received permission to search the car, Simpson said.
A crease in the floor mat on the passenger side prompted an officer to lift it, revealing two handguns in a floorboard compartment. Police then also determined that the car had armor to stop bullets, Simpson said.
Thomas Earl Cooper Jr., 24, was accused of two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a loaded firearm, and one count of first-degree theft. Antonio Richards Jr., 20, was accused of the same crimes.
Simpson said police were able to determine that one of the handguns was stolen because the owner kept serial numbers of guns, which also helps greatly in recovering stolen property. helped in the accusations against the two men.
