On the Street

Not-So-Cuddly: Pa. Deputies Serving Warrant Find Guns in Giant Teddy Bear

April 3, 2025

Allegheny County sheriff's deputies had taken a suspect wanted on four bench warrants into custody, and a search of his home found two handguns and drugs inside "an adult-size teddy bear."

By Megan Guza

Source Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Allegheny Couty, PA, deputies were serving a warrant on a suspect Tuesday, and a search of his home found two handguns and drugs inside 'an adult-size teddy bear.' — Allegheny Couty, PA, deputies were serving a warrant on a suspect Tuesday, and a search of his home found two handguns and drugs inside "an adult-size teddy bear."

A McKees Rocks man already wanted for alleged probation violations faces new charges after sheriff's deputies found guns hidden in a massive teddy bear at his home.

Terry Purdue, 27, was wanted on four bench warrants related to alleged probation and bond violations, according to the sheriff's office.

When deputies knocked on Purdue's Grove Street door late Tuesday afternoon, according to a release from Sheriff Kevin Kraus, they noticed someone peeking out of a second-floor window.

Purdue eventually came to the door, according to the release, and he was taken into custody without incident. Deputies did a precautionary sweep on the home and found "an adult-size teddy bear" in an upstairs bedroom.

As deputies moved the bear to make sure no one was hiding under it, one deputy felt a hard, gun-shaped object inside the bear. It turned out to be a Blue Bersa handgun, according to the sheriff's office.

Authorities secured a search warrant based on the discovery of the first gun and, upon closer inspection inside the teddy bear, they found a loaded Springfield Armory handgun previously reported stolen out of Uniontown. Police also found alleged heroin and marijuana inside the home.

Purdue faces two new felony gun charges, one felony count of receiving stolen property, and four misdemeanor drug charges. Court records did not list an attorney as of Wednesday afternoon. A preliminary hearing has not been scheduled.

________________

Visit www.post-gazette.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.