Stolen Firearms

[blackthorn]

We moved here in 2004. There was a shed that I was remodeling to make a secure place to keep my firearms and reloading setup. Due to a space problem some things were loose-stored in the middle of the shed floor so work could be done on the walls, i.e. wiring, insulation and sheeting. I had taken a short term contract and had to be at work so my wife let the electrician(s) into the shed to work. Wiring finished, I then insulated and sheeted (myself), took about 4 months to finish. When putting everything in order I found a .22 AR7 and a folding 410 double shotgun along with an ammo can containing 3 hunting knives and some other small stuff were gone. It had to be one (or more) of 3 electricians. I reported it to the RCMP but so far nothing has ever turned up. Lesson learned---NEVER allow anyone unsupervised access to anything you want to keep.

[cgtreml]

I was broken into October 2011 and I learned a lot. The police are the key to any recovery and or prosecution. My local sheriff has been great. I reported the theft at 0700 and by 1500 the same day the serial numbers were in the NCIC data base. Within 60 days, 6 of the 9 handguns stolen had been recovered and the 3 thieves were in jail. Here are my lessons learned:

1) Have very good records including photographs. Have multiple copies of your records and have them stored in different locations (preferably in a different building). Some if my records were damaged in the theft. I believe this was inadvertent on the thieves’ part, but it could have been disastrous for me.

2) Report quickly and follow up with the police. Insure your police agency alerts neighboring police agencies. My sheriff alerted the surrounding counties sheriff's departments, the state police, and the ATF. My first gun was recovered by a police department in a neighboring county within 10 days. That arrest lead to a second arrest and a second gun. ATF joined in after the second arrest and people started talking to avoid federal charges. Within a week 2 more guns were in evidence lockers and the names of the individuals who had 2 more were known. I will get those 6 guns back in about 10-14 months (after the trials).

3) Notify your insurance company within 24 hours of your theft. I did this, but I was unaware that my insurance had a 90 day notification window. If you fail to notify within 90 days the insurance does not pay.

4) Ask the police if you can clean your firearms after they have completed the forensic testing. The 3 police departments that are storing mine for trials have all allowed me to clean the pistols and treat them with storage oils.


Thefts are not pleasant, but they are increasingly becoming a part of life for the average man. I encourage everyone to take precautions and to install a security system, but remember guns are just things. If you and your family are safe after a theft, the rest will be alright.

Great advise. Good records and communication are the key. Make sure you have photos and serial numbers stored off site as well.
God I love this site.

[Jbar4Ranch]

Early 80's - had an Interarms Virginian Dragoon .44 mag, belt, holster, and 25 rounds stolen out of my car at work. Only one other person knew it was there, and he was a bit of a shady character. Door lock was pulled with a wire or coat hanger, nothing broken. Items were recovered a couple months later when they were being pawned in Denver. Everything but the ammo was returned, and I still have it.

[Recluse]

You may be charged in the State Of Louisiana if you buy any product that is being sold for a price that is well below the known value of that product.
If a man offers you a LNIB Colt 45ACP for $100 and you purchase it, you are guilty of receiving stolen things as laid out in the Criminal Code of The State.

I would thoroughly enjoy seeing some parish DA try and prosecute me on something like that. I'd shove the Fifth Amendment so far up his/her buttocks they'd be spitting out the First, Second, Third and Fourth Amendments all the way to the Fifth Circuit of Appeals in their very own backyard.

Without PROOF that you, the buyer, knew the item you purchased was stolen, zero crime has been committed by the buyer.

I once bought a 1958 Gibson Les Paul "black beauty" guitar when I was in college for $75 at a garage sale. The guitar, at the time, was easily worth twenty times that much. I asked the older woman if she was SURE she wanted to sell it at that price as it was a nice guitar and worth more than that.

She told me she had bought it for her worthless grandson who was now in jail for drug possession and she simply wanted to get rid of it and didn't care what it was worth.

I snatched it up.

I'd love to see Louisiana, or Texas or any other state, try and prosecute me for finding a good deal.

Stupid***ed lawmakers are more interested in making new laws rather than ENFORCING existing laws.

[DoubleAdobe]

Yep, Recluse, I agree, I don't know how a Prosecutor is going to be successful without showing intent. Seems pretty unenforceable to me too.

[Ronbo256]

I was broken into a few years back, lost a nice ruger p89 that I stupidily didn't have the serial number recorded, and a cheap muzzleloader. I knew who did it and the cops caught the guy but my guns were already gone so they let him go. He's in the big house where James Earl Ray was, doing 20 years for, you guessed it, robbery, so I have a small measure of revenge. Dad lost 4 guns to a thief, NRA insurance reimbursed him the cost but one was a 50th anniversary Ruger MKII pistol that was unshot in the presentation case so no way to replace it for the insurance money.

[P.K.]

Since someone opened up the vehicle portion of our collective rant on shady characters, here we go!

My truck was "stolen" when some repairs were done to it that I hadn't authorized. The moment the BBB showed up they locked their doors and took off. I guess all the other folks these shysters were sticking in the 5th point couldn't afford to sue, I could and did. I finally after all the walls their lawyers tried to erect won the case to the tune of 3X what the truck was worth. I doubt I'll ever see a red cent of it from them since they have gone under the radar( no property or houses that I can find). One is on parole in KY and also been on the docet in Nashville so I know they are still in the area.

[MikeS]

I had 5 handguns, and a rifle stolen a couple of years ago. The cop that came to take the report was more concerned with the unloaded gun sitting on my kitchen table, than taking a full report. The finger print guy that came out said he couldn't take any prints because the house smelled like cigarette smoke! The Hollywood FL cops (where this happened) really did a poor job. I had an opportunity to buy back the guns, so I called, as I wanted a detective to go with me, but they told me the detectives don't work weekends! (this was on a friday night!)

So the outcome is that I'm out almost $5k worth of guns, and it's just too bad! I've since replaced a few of the stolen guns, but some of them I'll never be able to replace, as they had been my father's that he left to me.

[robert6715]

To all who have had firearms stolen I advise going to www.stolenweapon.com and doing a search.It helped a friend get a gun back that had been stolen 20 years earlier.

[DLCTEX]

I have had guns stolen 3 times. Once by a relative who pawned them. And twice by a former employee. The first time he stole 13 guns that we later found were traded for drugs and went to Mexico. The second time he was caught because he tried to pawn the gun, but by the time the cops caught up with him he had sold the gun, new TV, and VCR for cash on the street. NRA paid $900 for the 13 (1000 less 100 deductible) and the second time the TV and VCR had been bought on a credit card that covered stolen, and the NRA paid more for the Ruger min-14 than we paid for it. He went to jail for 3 months awaiting trial and was released by DA with the excuse that he would not get much more time if given credit for time served. One of the 13 was a custom 22-250, Sako action, McGowan barrel, Fagen stock, Weaver K-8, tack driver. Another was a first edition Ruger Mk I pistol.

[Hang Fire]

I forgot to add, always take good pictures of all your guns and include the serial numbers in the pictures. Store the pictures online and report if stolen. If you find it for sell years latrr you can get it back.

I have every gun wife and I own on a DVD with pics and all pertinent information for each gun and the DVD is kept in bank SDB. oxy-acetylene rig is in the garage, but I also keep cutting tips in the safe, so at least they will have to work at getting it open.

[Gtek]

01' I was hit, the one day alarm was not set. 14 handguns and three black guns. Threw my real M1-D and a row of Garands out on floor to get at one Mini folder. Just fired two days before all new slab side AR I built from parts, all Colt and four digit SP-1. These cops did not care, one ask me why I had so much of this kind of stuff. I explained to him the six 30 rounders that just left with 109 stacked he should be more concerned. I have a really bad taste in my mouth about law enforcement after that ordeal. Two months later my s/n's dropped off FDLE sight. City tells me to contact state and state tells me to contact city. Sorry to any law enforcement out there but most of them in my area are mouth breathing knuckle draggers with IQ and daily temp running neck and neck. Ten years later and still, I hope one day - Once in the chest, once in the head. Shoot them fast, shoot them DEAD! Gtek

[goste]

I had a 9mm pistol stolen out of my dresser drawer, by a friend of my stepsons. All my others were locked up, but this one.

Gun was recovered in a local drug bust about a month later. Was not even informed by the local PD, that they recovered it.....found out when another friend told me the thief, got an extra 12 yrs added for theft of my gun....

Took 5 years to the day almost, to get it back. Went through the sheriff's office, and finally got it...Local PD was NO help whatsoever......

[Canuck Bob]

I have every gun wife and I own on a DVD with pics and all pertinent information for each gun and the DVD is kept in bank SDB. oxy-acetylene rig is in the garage, but I also keep cutting tips in the safe, so at least they will have to work at getting it open.

That is clever and mine will be in safe tonight. I work hard at not broadcasting I'm a gun owner. It is likely that someone who knows us will be the most likely culprit by direct theft or by betrayal to a thief.

My childhood bouble barrel was stored at my Mothers after I left home. It disappeared and we could never prove it even though we knew who did it. It was a tired old shotgun but priceless to me. My first gunsmith job. I cut the barrels to 20 inches following a gun rag instructions. Best darn cottontail shotgun ever.

I paid the culprit a visit one night. I was younger, tougher, and a little bit wild and extracted my pound of flesh. I convinced him calling the police would be a mistake. He was a brother-in-law who beat my sister and their kids. He stopped that after the second visit. I once earned a scholarship as a linebacker it was not a fair fight but I never saw that gun again or him (she kicked the bum out and remarried a real decent guy).

The cop who visited me regarding the second visit was a real old school lawman. He schooled me on the responses required to assure I was protected from prosecution for protecting my sister. He also paid the bum a visit and assured him his life would suck if he didn't stop. Then he helped my sister get the social services she needed to get out. I have respected and admired police officers ever since. I suppose in todays world property crime is a royal pain for them with revolving door policies. When push comes to shove the only person running to the trouble is a cop or a soldier.