Have you seen these bows?

DEM looked for fenced bows

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management's Division of Law Enforcement is advising anyone that may have purchased a bow on Craigslist this month that they may have unknowingly purchased stolen property.

Twelve Genesis bows were stolen during a break-in at a DEM facility earlier this month. The stolen bows are valued at approximately $180 each and may have been sold online by a Craigslist seller from West Warwick. Two have been recovered.

The Genesis bows are not hunting bows. This equipment is used by DEM's Division of Fish & Wildlife to introduce and teach archery skills to students who participate in its Hunter Education programs, many of whom are women and youth. 

Programs such as Bowhunter Education training, Women's Day at the Range, Archery in the Schools and various other field day type events will be impacted until this equipment is recovered or replaced. The Division is committed to teaching outdoor skills to the next generation in an effort to inspire an interest and concern for wildlife and wild places, and to engage the public in wildlife conservation and shooting sports.

Among the stolen bows that have not been recovered are eight Genesis compound bows that measure 35.5 inches from axle to axle and weigh 3.5 pounds each. Seven are brand new and were still in the original packaging when taken. 

These include four right-handed orange bows, and three left-handed lime green bows. In addition, a used, right-handed orange bow was also taken. Also, two Genesis Mini bows still in the original packaging were stolen. These include one right-handed red bow and a blue left-handed bow.

The stolen bows have been reported to the National Crime Information Center so that the identification numbers of the bows can be traced. DEM is asking anyone who may have purchased one of these bows to contact the Division of Law Enforcement at 222-3070. 

This is an effort to recover stolen property that is needed for DEM's Hunter Education program. 

No one will be prosecuted for purchasing the stolen bows. Editor's note: but don't expect to be able to keep them. And lots of luck getting your money back.