If they want guns, they'll go where they know guns are at.
Yup...kinda reminds you of the old question...
Why do you rob banks?
Most crooks & violent thugs want a "easy lick".
What could be easier than stealing guns at a gun range?
They're usually remote & well off the beaten path, you have time to "case the joint" safely & legally, and if there's only one person there (many folks enjoy shooting alone), no witnesses. Many folks at gun ranges let their guard down - how many times has someone struck up an innocent conversation with you at the range? (we've all had it happen)
Suppose that person is a criminal?
Hey man, nice gun!...
BANG (it's mine / ours now!)
Where else ya gonna look for an "easy lick" if you're after guns...
1. The Gun Store? (owners / employees are usually armed and constantly in condition yellow).
2. A house? You'll have to break & enter (broken the law already) in order to "case the joint", you'll spend time searching / running into obstacles such as gun safes, armed home owners, etc., you never really know if someone's in there, and you're on the home owner's turf (the home owner has the advantage).
They don't want any resistance or to be faced with a chance that they could be shot or arrested.
Again...what could be safer than an out of the way, solitary shooter at a gun range?
Most felons & older career criminals know that going after any guns or places where people are armed can be extremely risky.
And the least risky place to go after guns (for reasons listed) may well be at a rural gun range.
I think we're also falling into the "old school" trap - there's a new breed of criminal prowling the streets these days, and they don't play by the old rules.
Again (based on some quotes in here), I'm seeing some folks that are apparently lulled into a sense of complacency when at the range.
If so (and the thinking criminal may be counting on that), you've already put yourself well behind the curve.
I've told this tale in here before, but for those that may have missed it:
1. Got an acquaintance that's relatively new to shooting (at least SD, AR style guns, etc). that just bought a farm.
2. I told him if he was out on the farm shooting, and someone comes walking up to him thru the woods, his Spidey sense better start tingling (may just be your neighbor seeing what you're up to, or ?).
3. He called me one morning and said it appears to have happened to him!
He and his friend (also relatively new to the sport) were shooting their ARs on the farm when a vehicle drove a pretty good ways onto his property. They were thru shooting for the day, so they slung their ARs over their backs and rode his ATV to see what they wanted.
He said the windows on the vehicle were tinted so darkly he couldn't see in (didn't know if the driver was alone), and the driver cracked the window as little as possible in order to ask him if it would be OK if he fished in his pond.
He told him no, and politely asked him to leave his property and not come back.
Apparently, he later realized what may have just happened and called me, relating the tale (
I think I just had happen to me what you warned me about!).
He said at least there were 2 of them, and they did have their ARs over their shoulders, but both guns were empty since they were thru for the day.
I told him it sounds very well like you were just probed, and if it had been me I would have:
1. Had ammo in the guns.
2. Would have told my buddy to stay to the rear of the vehicle, on the opposite side, and would have had both guns at low ready.
Let's be careful out there folks...
I used to provide security for my son, when he was getting advanced dive certification in south Dade county, they trained in a fresh water lake that had frequent auto break-ins, especially when the perps saw dive flags in the water. It's amazing how fast cruise by autos would speed away, when they saw me with a tactical shotgun. I also open carried my ROA when I fished, got hassled by the Marine Patrol, but always explained that I wasn't asking for trouble and was advertising that fact for the protection of the criminal element...
