Valley Forge Rifle Thief, 78, Gets Day in Jail

PHILADELPHIA – Thomas Gavin, 78, of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, finally faced justice this week, receiving a one-day prison sentence for a brazen theft committed over half a century ago. U.S. District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney also sentenced Gavin to three years of supervised release – the first year to be served under home confinement – and slapped him with a $25,000 fine, alongside a restitution order of $23,385. The charge? Disposal of an object of cultural heritage stolen from a museum.

The decades-long cold case cracked when Gavin pleaded guilty in July 2021 to an Information outlining the single count against him. He confessed to pilfering the Christian Oerter Rifle from the Valley Forge State Park Museum way back in 1971. This wasn’t just any antique; the Oerter Rifle is a remarkably rare survivor from 1775, crafted by master gunsmith Christian Oerter, a key figure in the Philadelphia-area gun-making scene. Experts estimate its value exceeds $175,000, making it a national treasure.

What makes this rifle particularly significant? It’s one of only two known to still bear its original flint mechanism, complete with the maker’s name, location, and date of manufacture. The other Oerter rifle isn’t even in the United States – it resides in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle in England. Gavin held onto his ill-gotten gain for over 40 years, only offloading it in 2018 along with other stolen museum pieces from his 1970s spree.

“Stealing an artifact from a museum – literally a piece of American history – is a serious federal offense,” stated U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. “After four decades, justice finally caught up with this defendant. Thanks to the work of our law enforcement partners, the Christian Oerter rifle is safely back where it can be enjoyed by all Americans.” The recovery of the rifle is a small victory in a world where cultural heritage is constantly under threat.

Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division, echoed those sentiments. “Thomas Gavin kept the stolen Oerter rifle squirreled away for decades, depriving all of us of this Revolutionary piece of our past,” she said. “It is way past time for Mr. Gavin to be held accountable for his actions. This case is a great example of the FBI’s commitment to protecting and preserving the cultural property that helps tell the story of our nation.”

The investigation was a collaborative effort between the FBI’s Art Crime Team and detectives from the Upper Merion Township Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney K.T. Newton prosecuted the case, bringing closure to a theft that spanned generations. While the sentence may seem lenient to some, it serves as a reminder that even crimes committed decades ago can – and will – be pursued by federal authorities.

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