Don't leave weapons in your car, just ask the Secret Service

[acdodd]

Seattle police chief left his gun in a car outside a restaurant/bar.

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20050105&slug=chiefgun05m

The Seattle Times reported in July 2001 that between 1996 and 2000, 15 Seattle Police Department guns were stolen from either cars or homes. More recent figures are not immediately available, Whitcomb said.

Sgt. Kevin Haistings, president of the Seattle Police Officers' Guild, said he knows of no situation where an officer has been disciplined or investigated for having a gun stolen.

My favorite.



http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/06/28/the-seattle-police-department-is-very-embarrassed-after-leaving-unattended-ar-15-rifle-on-trunk-of-patrol-car

 

[Old Dog]

Old news. Haistings is a past president of the Guild; he was out in 2006. Things have changed a bit in the SPD since then (operating under DOJ sanctions, and Irish chief, and a metric butt ton of officer misconduct complaints ...)

 

[Drail]

"Only the police and military should possess assault weapons" because they are so highly trained and disciplined. You bet.

 

[Jeff22]

Secure your weapons

I've known of three local cops who had guns stolen out of their cars.

One gun was in the glove compartment and the other two were in gear bags stored in hatchback type vehicles that did not have a trunk.

A local FBI agent had his tac vest and some spare magazines and handcuffs stolen out of his government issue Suburban. Once again, a vehicle that did not have a locking trunk.

Keep them locked up and keep them out of sight.

 

[Pushrod]

I hate thieves.
That is all.

 

[Speedo66]

I've known of three local cops who had guns stolen out of their cars.

One gun was in the glove compartment and the other two were in gear bags stored in hatchback type vehicles that did not have a trunk.

A local FBI agent had his tac vest and some spare magazines and handcuffs stolen out of his government issue Suburban. Once again, a vehicle that did not have a locking trunk.

Keep them locked up and keep them out of sight.

Most vehicles, entering the trunk is only as difficult as breaking a window and pressing the trunk release. A well prepared thief with a crow bar can easily pry it open from the outside.

A trunk helps, but it's not exactly Ft. Knox.

 

[justice06rr]

An awful lot of you guys seem to actually believe that a "lock" will prevent theft. It might - but only for people who haven't learned to "pick" one. Go to a lock picking convention and prepare to be astonished......... Locks are much like a "no guns allowed" sign. Not terribly effective at stopping a determined individual. Somewhat effective against a smash and grab punk. I have had so many vehicles broken into that I will never leave anything valuable in a parked car - especially a loaded firearm. If I can't carry my gun into any venue - I don't go in there.

I wish it was that simple for everyone, but it isn't.

If you work or must attend a function in a place that lawfully prohibits carrying, then you obviously have no choice but to either leave your firearm in the car or at home.

While most of us would love it were life that simple, the rest of us aren't so fearful that we refuse to disarm when absolutely necessary. There are just those times for people when they cannot be armed -- to deny one's self life's experiences because one is too stubborn to temporarily go without only one tool for self-defense, well, I don't understand ... A big part of life is having faith ... And accepting reality

Well said.

A few things come to mind here: you can't have firearms with you when flying, going on a cruise or going to a foreign country for vacation, going to a school function for your children/family, etc. In some of these situations you have to accept that fact that you must disarm and leave your guns at home or in your vehicle. Would you not go to these places because you always have to be armed???