Rifle stolen from state police cruiser in Malden

A rifle was stolen from a Massachusetts State Police cruiser overnight in Malden.

The vehicle was burglarized while parked in the garage of a residential complex, MSP spokesperson David Procopio said in a statement to Boston.com. The stolen weapon was a department-issued patrol rifle.

The cruiser was locked at the time, and the rifle was secured in a mount, a preliminary investigation found. Police said that “forced entry was made into the cruiser.”

An unnamed source told WCVB that the incident was “not a smash-and-grab, but a professional break-in.”

“At this time we have no indication of the rifle being used subsequent to its theft,” Procopio said in a statement.

The investigation is ongoing, and no further information is being released at this time.