He Left It in His Truck

I always carry a blanket, and there is usually a fast food bag full of napkins or some such. Toss blanket over, toss bag on top, looks like normal mess.

Any weapons I carry in a vehicle are:
1) unloaded
2) encased
3) case is locked
4) case is secured to vehicle
5) ammo is encased separate from firearm
6) ammo box is also secured to vehicle
7) none of the above is visible from outside
8) none of the above is accessible from inside
9) when away from vehicle, vehicle is locked
Note: in Wisconsin, I do all this NOT because it's all required by law, because it is not - I do it for civil liability. If someone breaks into my car, steals my gun and ammo, commits a crime and harms someone, then I'm the one they're going to sue. Also, it covers a traffic enforcement stop. I do have a CCW permit.

Under back seat locked with a bike cable lock. Also helps that my truck is junky. Nothing of value visible. No nra stickers or any firearms related bumper stickers. Never had a vehicle broken into. My sister's truck was parked next to mine in TN. They broke into hers left mine alone. She left a gps on her dash.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/292426998360
I got this nifty gun rack. It was easy to mount, an inexpensive to boot!

Don't leave a firearm, visible or not, in a vehicle for an extended period of time unless there's absolutely no possibility that you can take it with you.

I've probably stayed at hotels where firearms are not permitted. Still not leaving it in my vehicle though. If carrying it concealed is not an option, it's getting stuffed into my bag or in the case of a long gun, buried on the luggage trolley under my other crap. Exception being a secured, private parking garage. Open hotel and hospital parking lots without security are kind of a magnet for thieves.

Howland937 said:

I've probably stayed at hotels where firearms are not permitted. Still not leaving it in my vehicle though. If carrying it concealed is not an option, it's getting stuffed into my bag or in the case of a long gun, buried on the luggage trolley under my other crap. Exception being a secured, private parking garage. Open hotel and hospital parking lots without security are kind of a magnet for thieves.

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Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the FOPA covers bringing guns into hotel rooms no matter what their policy is. It is an extension of your home for the night. That being said bringing it in discrete is always a good idea.

dodo bird said:

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the FOPA covers bringing guns into hotel rooms no matter what their policy is.

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As I read the "safe passage" provision, I don't think it covers overnight stays. If that's the case, wouldn't state law wrt observance of "Castle Doctrine" prevail?

I have vehicular gun safes in our rolling stock for handguns in case I have to go into a building that may forbid carrying like a post office/federal court building etc.

I don’t leave rifles unaccompanied in any vehicle I can’t see via an unobstructed line of sight. I just don’t do it.

In some states, Ca for instance, leaving a firearm unsecured in your vehicle at any time is a misdemeanor for everyone, on-duty LEO included. We had to buy gun safes for sidearms for all of our office vehicles in response to this law. (Rifles are in locking racks already.)

It is never a good idea to leave a firearm unsecured in the car no matter what. Bulldog vaults like the three I bought for my personal cars run about 40 bucks and will fit full sized sidearms.

https://www.bulldogcases.com/product/personal-safe-w-key-lock-security-cable/

Stay safe.

Craig_VA said:

My general thought is never leave a gun visible in a car.

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I don’t think visible matters much to be honest. I just assume if you drive a truck in Missouri that there is a gun in the console.

I wouldn’t expect as many guns in Prius’ but I bet theres some nice Apple electronics to steal.

Basically, don’t leave things in cars. If you were desperate for a gun I bet you could break into 10 trucks in a night and get at least 1 handgun.

I know that car burglaries are common. I've heard too many cops on too many forums talking about how many times they've been to a car burglary and the thief found a gun in the glove box or in the center console or under the seat not to know that I should take precautions against it. I believe that it's incumbent on me to take reasonable precautions to mitigate a known risk.

There really isn't any place that I go to on a regular basis where I'm required to disarm before I go into the building. If I do go someplace where I have to disarm there's a steel lock box cabled to the frame in my car and that's where I lock my gun.

dodo bird said:

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the FOPA covers bringing guns into hotel rooms no matter what their policy is. It is an extension of your home for the night. That being said bringing it in discrete is always a good idea.

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I was thinking mostly about a certain resort hotel that is attached to, owned by, and on the same property as a theme park. In effect, their policy is "weapons prohibited on this premises".

Craig_VA said:

However, depending on the layout of the truck, how easy is it to conceal a rifle in the back seat?

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I've never seen a pickup in which the seat couldn't be tilted forward to access behind it. Rifles fit fine back there. That being said, I'd agree with the others that a gun shouldn't be left in a vehicle at a hotel. Just a generally poor idea.

hso said:

It doesn't take any real effort to do this thru the trigger guard. Leaving a gun in your car overnight outside of secure enclosed parking is just stupidly irresponsible.

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Depending on the firearm I prefer to put cable through the action. Manly do this on my 590. But this is rare.

1.) Keep the car messy enough that people don’t want to break in.

2.) Don’t keep your gun in your car.

I grew up in St. Louis and learned at a fairly young age that ANYTHING you leave in a car will be stolen and windows will be broken to gain access and windows ain't cheap. I have had vehicles broken into to steal radios, tools, jumper cables, work boots, work coats etc. I've had vehicles broken into just to search to see if there was anything to steal. There is NO SUCH THING as a "nice neighborhood" or a "low crime area". If you can drive into it so can the thieves. I can't imagine anyone thinking of leaving a firearm in a vehicle. Kiss it goodbye.

A former LEO on a different topic (on THR...) stated that in Houston car thieves would break into a locked car for a child's Backpack, or such.

Recognize this other story from about 10-15 years ago in Memphis?
The truck was driven by either Marshalls or another federal LE agency. They parked at a Denny's or such near Sycamore View/I-40. About a mile from the federal prison. Odd coincidence.

Even one or two select-fire rifles, among several other guns was stolen.

The "sorta weird" part? The newspaper article claimed that the agents had the truck "within View" as they ate inside the restaurant. Maybe it was night, but still------they probably couldn't see each 'blind spot car door' clearly, with one opened extremely slowly.

I suspect that the thieves knew which types of vehicles were driven by some feds, or saw them park and step out, simply recognized the types of either official or off-duty clothing plus behavior, body language etc.
Appearances: in Atlanta Airport at the airport/airline employee coded security bypass doors, it was Very easy to spot, my first time, young Federal Air Marshals by their type of civilian clothing, military haircuts, mannerisms.
We can't discuss which clothing here, in public.

Ignition Override said:

A former LEO on a different topic (on THR...) stated that in Houston car thieves would break into a locked car for a child's Backpack, or such.

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There’s very little chance of getting caught and even smaller chance of getting charged. Its probably a very easy way to make a few bucks if you have no regard for others.

HB: so true.