Antique rifle thief gets one day in prison

[Poper]

Saw this on Breitbart:
https://www.breitbart.com/education...lific-u-s-artifact-thief-gets-one-day-prison/

"Gavin had been on a tear in the ’60s and ’70s, hitting nearly a dozen museums on the East Coast. He mostly stole antique firearms and stashed them in his hideout — a cluttered, non-descript barn in rural Pennsylvania"

Unreal how he could get away with these thefts for so many years! It would be interesting to see the entire list of weapons and museums he stole them from.

His crime spree was so unknown that no one figured it out until 2018 when the man attempted to unload a rare, Revolutionary-era rifle to an antique dealer.

It turned out to be one of the only surviving rifles crafted by master gunsmith John Christian Oerter.

Can you imagine?

 

[old lady new shooter]

<SMH>

 

[Howland937]

I'd read a different article the other day. Lenient sentence because he 1- is old, and 2- sold it for a fraction of it's actual value, indicating he didn't have intent to profit (quote from the prosecutor)
And if I read the story correctly, it wasn't returned to the museum it was stolen from. Wondering if the museum is defunct or if the rifle was on loan from the same group that loaned it to the museum it's currently in.

Hopefully whichever the case is, the rightful owner has been identified and it's where it actually belongs.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

Depressing example of the modern justice system but I am glad that a piece of irreplaceable history was returned to its rightful owner. I don't believe criminals should be rewarded for escaping punishment just because they didn't get caught immediately, although the court probably didn't want to be responsible for his health care expenses.

 

[Bazoo]

Thank God for grace.

 

[Sniper66]

The guy should rot in prison.

 

[westernrover]

I'd gladly serve his one day for him if everyone who destroyed guns had to serve two.



Or how about these "capitalists with a conscience"? https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/mati...uyback-program-funded-by-pot-club-4141157.php

 

[Poper]

I'd read a different article the other day. Lenient sentence because he 1- is old, and 2- sold it for a fraction of it's actual value, indicating he didn't have intent to profit (quote from the prosecutor)
And if I read the story correctly, it wasn't returned to the museum it was stolen from. Wondering if the museum is defunct or if the rifle was on loan from the same group that loaned it to the museum it's currently in.

Hopefully whichever the case is, the rightful owner has been identified and it's where it actually belongs.

As I understand it, he stole the rifle in 1970. Wouldn't the statute of limitations have run out on that crime? What could they really charge him with other than possession of or selling stolen property?

 

[Howland937]

As I understand it, he stole the rifle in 1970. Wouldn't the statute of limitations have run out on that crime? What could they really charge him with other than possession of or selling stolen property?

Both those charges would have led to a stiffer sentence than what he got. I dunno...they could have charged him with whatever they threatened to charge the Hobby Lobby owner with.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

On the other link: "Gun buyback program funded by pot club":

"Noting that the holidays also usually mean an increase in armed robberies, Stephenson suggested a gun buyback."

Proof that pot addles brains. They seriously believe armed robbers would sell their guns?

 

[BlueHeelerFl]

"It’s been so long that a lot of the places he claimed to hit don’t exist anymore, or they don’t have a record of the thefts"

Makes you wonder how much gets stolen from museums and how much of that is never reported

 

[Arkansas Paul]

As I understand it, he stole the rifle in 1970. Wouldn't the statute of limitations have run out on that crime? What could they really charge him with other than possession of or selling stolen property?

That's a good question. It varies state to state but in Arkansas the SOL for felonies is typically 3 years, with a few being 6 years, and even fewer having no SOL at all (these are the most heinous crimes).
I would bet that the selling of the stolen property constituted a crime in and of itself. But I don't know where he's at, and if it isn't the Natural State, I wouldn't have any experience with the laws there anyway. Just an observation.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Scum. Crime pays well.