Ever Loss or had a Gun Stolen?

[Praxidike]

According to the ATF, about 200 thousand (give or take) firearms are lost or stolen each year. I some what frequent a few firearm related forms, but I do not recall hearing many, if any, stories or complaints from members who have had firearms stolen.

Being that it's reported by the ATF and regurgitated by many anti-gun advocates, one would think if gun owners collectively had almost 200 thousand firearms lost or stolen from them each and every year that the subject would be brought up more often...

Has anyone else ever lost a gun or has had one stolen, or do you know anyone who has? If so, under what circumstances?

Also, I know that there's a thread (Be on the lookout for stolen guns) on THR, but after going on 3 years, there aren't many reports listed in there, and some that have been reported in that thread or guns that have been stolen or have gone missing decades ago.

 

[fatty]

Back in 1980 someone broke into my house and stole all my guns. I lost a S&W 19, Ruger MK1, Winchester model70, Browning BAR, Browning pump and a browning 2000. Guns were all they took. I had an idea who did it but could never prove it.

 

[rcmodel]

No.

Not in 60 years anyway.

I lost my BB gun once when I was six.
But my dad found it still inside the old schoolhouse some movers left parked down the road the night before.
I guess I went 'exploring' inside it while it was parked down the road over-night?


Then four years ago, I thought I had lost my little Kel-Tec P3AT and looked all over the house for it for two hours.

Then I found it behind my billfold in my hip pocket where I had put it that morning!

I have 'found' more then one gun though.
One as a boy a local guy dropped on a creek bank while fishing.
And a Model 12 shotgun in a case laying in the middle of a dirt road in western Kansas while pheasant hunting.

Both were returned to their rightful owners.

rc

 

[AlexanderA]

Has anyone else ever lost a gun or has had one stolen, or do you know anyone who has? If so, under what circumstances?

Never have. But then, I'm extremely security conscious, and am not casual about my guns. (Being close-mouthed is your best defense.)

A guy to whom I once sold a Browning water-cooled machine gun had it stolen (out of the trunk of his car), but it was recovered by the local police with the help of the ATF. They never did recover the spare barrel.

 

[Praxidike]

Back in 1980 someone broke into my house and stole all my guns. I lost a S&W 19, Ruger MK1, Winchester model70, Browning BAR, Browning pump and a browning 2000. Guns were all they took. I had an idea who did it but could never prove it.

Ahh, so it was someone who knew what you had and they specifically broke in to steal it. This is the same reason why I get upset when the topic of firearms come up while at social gatherings, and my girlfriend seems to get diarrhea of the mouth about each and every type of firearm we have in the house... Not only do I feel that it makes us a target for theft when we're not at home, but puts us at risk when we are being that if someone were to attempt a home invasion, they would plan, account for, and adapt to the fact that I might be armed...

 

[hso]

1 in 20 years.

Link to the ATF stat, please.

 

[1SOW]

COINCIDENCE that you ask now.

Yes, my son did. His house was broken into about 5-6 years ago (+/-)and an XD 45 'Service' Model was stolen, along with other items.

YESTERDAY, he got a call from ATF, who told him the pistol was involved in a crime and the bad guys were caught and trial over. He could come and pick up his pistol next week. My son was really surprised, as you could imagine. He called me and passed on the info. We shot together often back then, so I new the pistol.

He bought the pistol used from a private party (no paperwork). He reported the serial numbers and pistol info. to the city police at the time of the theft. That's the only way they could have known to call him as the owner.

Good and bad surprise.

 

[jerkface11]

The number i most likely inflated by gun store burglaries.

 

[Jim Watson]

I had six taken in a burglary, guns I had out for cleaning and tinkering and did not put up.
Fortunately, the punk wrecked his stolen car before he could fence my stolen guns and I got them back with little trouble.

I had one other go missing, I don't know how or when. I suspect somebody with a window installation contractor but it was so long before I missed the gun that there is no way to be sure.

 

[Praxidike]

1 in 20 years.

Link to the ATF stat, please.

This is from 2012: 190,342 lost or stolen.

 

[BobWright]

Many years ago, maybe fifteen or more, a friend of mine had his house burglarized and many of his guns taken. He and his wife arrived home as the thieves were there. As he sat in his truck one shoved a gun in his face and told him to back out of the drive so they could escape. My friend carried a pistol in the top of his boot but there was no way he could get it out. The thieves dropped a couple of handguns in getting away.

My gunsmith's shop was broken into recently resulting in the loss of several auto pistols and para-military rifles.

And the Wal-Mart had a theft recently, losing several para-military rifles, M-16 look-alikes.

And a shooting range was burglarized resulting in the loss of several handguns and rifles.

Some of the thieves have been apprehended and are awaiting trial.

Bob Wright

 

[4D5]

Yes, well my son anyway, around 1990 and he was 18.
Me and the ex, recently divorced and he was living with her.
He wasn't hanging around with the best crowd. You can guess the type.

Anyway, one day he comes home, Rem 1187 & Ruger 10/22 gone.
I'm pretty sure he knew the thief(s)
This was in northern part of the CA.

Anyway, about three years later, the LAPD call him and tell him they have his shotgun. However, it's beat to hell. He told them to destroy it; no since paying the shipping to get junk. Besides the guns had already been replaced via insurance.

Happened to him again in 2000. This time no fault of his own. He was living in the country this time. Anyway returns home one day and the AR was gone along with some stuff of the wife's. Never did hear about that one. Wouldn't have done any good even if found. Because in CA, it would not be returned to him even if found. They have this thing about EBRs.

-

 

[MedWheeler]

Lost a Taurus M66 in a burglary of my truck in August of 1989. Same burglars (could tell by means of entry) returned twice more over the next several months, taking nothing.

In early 1992, my gun was one of four tossed by drive-by shooting suspects in a neighboring city, suspects that were being pursued on foot after baling from a car chase. It was determined not to have been involved in the shooting, and was returned to me.

 

[Elkins45]

I lost several in 1991 but in an amazing stroke of luck I got all of them back except for the Glenfield model 60 my mother had given me as a birthday present.

I slow down every time I pass one on a table at a gunshow in the hopes that I will see it again one day.

 

[Jim Watson]

It was determined not to have been involved in the shooting, and was returned to me.

Interesting legal approach, seems common.
If it had been "involved" would that make the gun a defendant?

Rhetorical question, it is "evidence" and must be held for every court cycle until the case is settled. And then it might be returned or it might be destroyed because its character had been corrupted and it had to be kept "off the street." Or, if a nice example, permanent "evidence" in some city employee's holster.

 

[Zach S]

Ahh, so it was someone who knew what you had and they specifically broke in to steal it. This is the same reason why I get upset when the topic of firearms come up while at social gatherings, and my girlfriend seems to get diarrhea of the mouth about each and every type of firearm we have in the house... Not only do I feel that it makes us a target for theft when we're not at home, but puts us at risk when we are being that if someone were to attempt a home invasion, they would plan, account for, and adapt to the fact that I might be armed...

BTDT. We were at a family dinner (her family) and guns were brought up... She outed me in short order.

I broke the awkward silence with something like "its called a CONCEALED handgun permit for a reason. If you're going to tell everyone it kinda defeats the purpose."

 

[MedWheeler]

Jim Watson, it's possible that it might have been returned to me after final disposition of the case, which had not occurred when I did get it back.

I remember the female evidence custodian making a comment that, had it been the shooting weapon, I would "not be getting it back." There was no reason for her to be being snide; the agency knew I was LE myself (another agency) at the time and had been treating me with the utmost respect.

So, I don't know if she was saying I would not be getting it back at that time, or if she was saying I would not be getting it back at all (had it been the shooting weapon.)

 

[gspn]

I lost a shotgun once. I was on our duck hunting place and had my shotgun in a case strapped to the back of my 4-wheeler. When I got home (80 miles away) I noticed that I didn't have my gun.

I called some buddies who were hunting the place and asked them to keep a look out for it...but that I had NO IDEA where it might be.

They found it hung on a tree limb next to one of the trails through the swamp. The limb grabbed it out from under the tie-down cords on the rear rack.

So, lost one day, found the next.

 

[gbran]

In 1978 I had a burglary. Perps left all my long guns and took only one handgun. A .32 revolver.

 

[medalguy]

About ten years ago, our house was broken in while we were over at friends, returned home to find a broken window at the rear of the house and a shotgun and Nylon 66 missing. It was determined later that the burglary was the doings of a guy who lived about a mile down the highway from us, recently out on probation. Back into the slammer for him but the guns were never recovered.

Another time we had our home broken into on a weekend and a Walther PP stolen. Never recovered either. Probably kids since a glass jar of change was taken also, along with my 6 year son's Mickey Mouse walkie talkies.

 

[Valkman]

I lost a couple to a neighbor who found the attic gave him access to all the apartments. I lost a couple more to a girlfriend who put them up her nose.

 

[threefeathers]

Yes, an HK P 30. I believed the Hospital sign that said no guns allowed and I left mine in my car in the parking lot. Wrong decision.

 

[Twiki357]

I had, two S&W Model 36’s stolen twice back in the mid 1980’s. First by burglars who also took jewelry, TV & VCR in an afternoon smash and grab. In a streak of dumb luck, Los Angeles PD raided a fence the following morning when the guys were in there selling my stuff. Everything was recovered and returned to me except the guns. Considering that it was (And probably still is) LAPD’s policy to never return a recovered firearm to its rightful owner, that’s where the second time comes in.

4D5: “Anyway, about three years later, the LAPD call him and tell him they have his shotgun.” That’s amazing! Although there was a (I think class action) suit against LAPD, I think in the 1990's, because of their non-return policy. I’m pretty sure they lost and were ordered by the court to return recovered firearms in the future, but I don’t recall ever hearing that any were.

 

[Praxidike]

I'm surprised that no company has invented lo-jack for firearms yet. A hidden chip in that could be inserted into the frame of your firearm. When installed and a firearm is stolen, you can give police your private unrecorded lo-jack ID and they can locate your stolen firearm. After which and if you do not want police to know your private locating ID, you can have it changed...

 

[Tirod]

Lost or stolen guns may also be getting reported to cover situations where they weren't legally transferred, to collect insurance, or simply to "dump" ownership in states that have recently enacted new laws.

The first two are likely small percentages, the last is a form of civil disobedience.

Are guns getting stolen, sure. Many owners show them to the perp about 6 weeks prior. First rule is never show off your guns at home, and don't talk about them in groups where you don't know each and every individual. That one casual friendship one of your buddies brought along is the guy casing all your houses.

And it does have to be asked, with the big increase of home gun safes, just how are 200,000 firearms being stolen if from homes? Something smells.