State, federal and local police are looking for dozens of handguns that vanished from a gun dealer in Long Hill Township.

The dealer?s showroom has been on Union Street in Sterling for more than 40 years. Long Hill Township police say there was no sign of forced entry at Sarco, which means the guns are either somewhere in the shop or their theft was an inside job. The owner reported 57 9 mm semi-automatic guns missing after performing an internal audit on January 10. Police say it is not required by law for gun dealers to take inventory. However, the owner had been keeping track ever since three handguns were stolen from his shop in October 2005. A Sarco worker was charged in that incident.

According to police, the owner turned his shop upside down looking for the missing guns, but found nothing. Investigators will be interviewing all Sarco workers about the weapons. Police say they will also be working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to solve the case.