Lost sheriff’s rifle returned after being found by resident in Lennox

LOS ANGELES - A rifle that may have fallen from the trunk of a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department patrol vehicle was returned to the agency Monday by a Lennox resident who found the weapon.

What we know:

According to the Sheriff's department, a resident found a storage case near 104th Street and Condon Avenue around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, assuming a musical instrument was inside. The man later opened the case and realized it contained a rifle and ammunition, prompting him to turn the weapon over to deputies at the South Los Angeles Station on Monday.

"We deeply appreciate the honesty and integrity shown by our Lennox community members who acted responsibly and returned the lost rifle to our station," Capt. Nicole Palomino said in a statement.

She said weapon's recovery is a reminder of the vital role people play in keeping neighborhoods safe.

The backstory:

On Sunday, the department said they were searching for a missing Colt M4 rifle. According to the department, South Los Angeles Station deputies responded to a call between 10:30 and 11 p.m. Saturday, when one of the deputies realized the weapon was missing. It was in a hard-shelled case with five magazines, each loaded with 30 rounds of .22-caliber ammunition.

Sheriff's officials said they believed the weapon had fallen from the trunk of the patrol vehicle. The department was conducting an internal review of how the weapon was lost.