Loaded Assault Rifle, Body Armor, Pistol Found in Long Island Man's Car: Police

Authorities pulled over a man posing as a federal air marshal Thursday morning to find several weapons in his SUV, including a loaded assault rifle, a ballistic body armor vest and a tactical vest containing high capacity magazines, police said.

According to officials, Mark Vicars, 49, pulled his 2014 Dodge Durango over on Jericho Turnpike in Syosset, activated emergency lights and showed authorities a fraudulent shield and identification credentials that identified him as a federal air marshall at 7:40 a.m.

Police said Vicars was found to be in possession of a loaded .380 pistol and a knife along with several weapons in the back seat:

• A loaded assault rifle
• A ballistic body armor vest
• A tactical vest containing three high capacity magazines

Authorities then obtained a search warrant on Vicars’ home to recover multiple weapons and approximately 8,300 rounds of assorted ammunition, police said. The investigation is continuing.

The traffic stop was initiated through a joint investigation with New York office of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Transportation Security Administration.

Vicars was charged with two counts of second degree criminal possession of a weapon, 10 counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon, five counts of fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon and third degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.

He will be arraigned Friday at First District Court in Hempstead.

Image via NCPD