U.S. offers reward for guns stolen from Massachusetts Army center

BOSTON (Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Monday it was offering a $15,000 reward for tips leading to the recovery of six handguns stolen from a U.S. Army Reserve Center in Massachusetts earlier this month.

Sixteen weapons, including six M-4 rifles and 10 9 mm Sig Sauer pistols, were stolen from the facility in Worcester, about 45 miles (72 km) west of Boston, on Nov. 14.

Ten of the weapons, including all the rifles, were recovered in New York early last week, following the arrest of a suspect in the theft.

"We're asking anyone with information about the location of these weapons to come forward, and anyone who may have access to these weapons to turn them in to either the FBI or their local police department," said Harold Shaw, the FBI's special agent in charge in Boston.

The suspect, 34-year-old James Morales was arrested on Nov. 19 and charged with stealing the guns after breaking into the facility through a kitchen window, federal prosecutors said, citing surveillance video and an electronic monitoring bracelet Morales had been ordered to wear by a court.

Morales had gone to the facility earlier that week to pick up copies of his military discharge papers.

(Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Sandra Maler)