Found a gun in MN... questions...

[CoRoMo]

If I were a betting man, I'd place a dollar to your dime that the gun was not stolen or involved in a crime; simply based on the way it was found and what was with it.

Of course, if the previous owner completely forgot where they last left it, they may have reported it stolen just because they really have no idea what happened to it.

If you ever have the final notes to this gun's history, please post back here when your friend finds out all the info.

 

[leadcounsel]

The circumstances surrounding the location and storage of the gun bring serious question to the nature of the firearm. I can think of no legitimate reason for the gun to be stored there.

First, the gun is of relatively low 'street' value and hence common type and caliber among thugs (or at least that's my opinion). One also found in low income areas, probably owned by a small statured person that owns 1 or few handguns (kept it in the case, under his/her bed or in her closet). A novice owned it because there are two loaded magazines, but the gun was empty.
Probably about $100 on the street. Found unloaded with 2 full magazines, all in the case.

The most likely answer is that someones' home was burgled and this gun was the 'loot' found under some unlucky person's bed, or in her/his closet, etc. The thief put the gun here until he could find a buyer because he doesn't want to get caught with a gun, and a hot one at that. And your friend found it.

Maybe the victim was unharmed, or maybe strangled. We don't know. Maybe the victim came home and reported the gun stolen. Maybe she has insurance or maybe not. Maybe the gun will be replaced, or the person can't afford to replace it.

But the handgun has nearly no value, maybe a couple hundred bucks tops.

The greedy thing to do would be to keep the weapon without running any checks. Bad karma.

The semi-ethical thing is to run the checks through NICS using a FFL to see if it's hot. If it's not hot, keep it.

The ethical thing is to contact the police and explain the situation and get them to agree to turn it over to your friend if after a reasonable waiting period nobody claims it.

The friend may also inquire as to whether there have been any breakins in the area - although that may be a wild goose chase in some neighborhoods.

Also, keep in mind there is someone that probably stole it and may come looking for it and your friend may be a likely target because he works there as the maintenance guy.

 

[RoostRider]

In the projects, everyone knows where the "public" gun is. Take it and use it, put it back. Could be what he found. Joe

Not likely, considering it was behind the locked security door of the building, through the locked laundry room door, and then through the locked storage area door, under a pile of junk left by former tenants.... pretty hard to get access to on any regular basis...

It is the inner city, and it is possible that it is stolen or used in a crime (city or not), however unlikely (based on it's location)... I could see a former tenant leaving it behind because he knew it was hot perhaps.... but not just some criminal breaking through 3 locked doors to stash a hot gun in a secure place where it is likely to be found by a tenant of the building and unlikely to be recovered easily...

It is clearly going to require a little more thought.... thanks again for all the input.... you guys have some really good thoughts on it.... some I hadn't even considered.... the one place where net advice is useful... lol.... when you want a lot of speculation....

 

[send2r]

true story

the guy is a carpet installer and is friends with his landlord he was asked to put carpet in one of the units in his building when the tenant moved out. this was good for a months rent so the guy always did this for his landlord. as usual when the tenant left he would go check the place out anything that was left was his for the taking. well he. after 3 years of doing this he had found just about everything under the sun and i mean Everything there are some sick people out there. any way the day comes he finds a ruger 44 black hawk it was a presentation piece for something i don't remember . any way he calls the landlord and ask about it. the landlord an old guy says help yourself. the landlord still had his service pistol from Korea. he did not need another weapon in the house. the carpet guy called the sheriff's department said asked if the gun was stolen. the cops said no it was not on the list of stolen guns. so the carpet installer wants to trade the firearm for a loran for his boat. so he meets a guy at the marina who is willing to make a trade. the guy at the marina decides he does not want to trade so the carpet installer gets in his car and drives back across town on the way he gets ambushed by the cops who charge the carpet installer with possession of a stolen firearm.after doing 30 months in the state prison. he gets out with a criminal record and a loss of his civil rights

it is now 25 years later last year his right to vote was restored and he has applied to get his right to own a firearm restored. that carpet installer was me . now i was not an angle before or after but that whole thing sucked.
you can take what you want from this but rest assured it is all true there are Court documents to back it all up.
true story

 

[HKUSP45C]

true story

the guy is a carpet installer and is friends with his landlord he was asked to put carpet in one of the units in his building when the tenant moved out. this was good for a months rent so the guy always did this for his landlord. as usual when the tenant left he would go check the place out anything that was left was his for the taking. well he. after 3 years of doing this he had found just about everything under the sun and i mean Everything there are some sick people out there. any way the day comes he finds a ruger 44 black hawk it was a presentation piece for something i don't remember . any way he calls the landlord and ask about it. the landlord an old guy says help yourself. the landlord still had his service pistol from Korea. he did not need another weapon in the house. the carpet guy called the sheriff's department said asked if the gun was stolen. the cops said no it was not on the list of stolen guns. so the carpet installer wants to trade the firearm for a loran for his boat. so he meets a guy at the marina who is willing to make a trade. the guy at the marina decides he does not want to trade so the carpet installer gets in his car and drives back across town on the way he gets ambushed by the cops who charge the carpet installer with possession of a stolen firearm.after doing 30 months in the state prison. he gets out with a criminal record and a loss of his civil rights

it is now 25 years later last year his right to vote was restored and he has applied to get his right to own a firearm restored. that carpet installer was me . now i was not an angle before or after but that whole thing sucked.
you can take what you want from this but rest assured it is all true there are Court documents to back it all up.
true story

What state was this in?

 

[RoostRider]

send2r- If your point is that it doesn't matter who you ask about it, they could be wrong and you could get tagged with a very serious crime, the point is well taken.... thanks for telling your story as it relates....

 

[BettyFM]

WHY are PDs so reluctant to return legitimately owned firearms to law-abiding citizens? I had two revolvers stolen by a burglar some years back. One was recovered, held as "evidence" for 18 months, and then I was asked to jump though all kinds of hoops to get the gun returned to me. I only finally got it back because the detective working the case saw that I was being jerked around, and stuck his neck out a bit in returning it to me. I asked at the time how often they returned firearms and he said they were usually just destroyed.

Question is WHY? I don't get it.

Sorry to be a little off topic.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I was told by 3 Birmingham Police Officers ,when my Ruger P90 was stolen out of my truck,that even if it was recovered that I would not get it back because "we don't give guns back".

 

[send2r]

this happened in Florida, the cops around here are not sure if moonshine is legal on not so its a little crazy. i also found out that a roa is illegal for convicted felon but a 1858 Remington replica is legal. but the cops don't know what is what its very scary. you really need to know the law and if you don't know you need to look it up. in Florida, a bow and arrow and a spear gun are considered fire arms and a pietta 1858 Remington is not. i suppose they can all kill you just as dead, but the roa is the most fun to shoot. or so i am told

 

[RoostRider]

WHY are PDs so reluctant to return legitimately owned firearms to law-abiding citizens?

I think it might be because they are afraid of the media frenzy if they give back a gun that is used later in a crime, or to someone who shouldn't have it....

 

[hydraulicman]

yikes i would not want that pistol

 

[glock36]

You could always google the serial # and see what comes up
I have done this with one of my firearms and the result was make and model
not sure if there is more it would tell but worth a try. Good luck

 

[IdahoLT1]

I can tell you first hand that it sucks to lose a firearm or have it stolen. That said, i would turn it in to the authorities. It might be a gun used in a crime, but at the very least, it will make a gun owner very happy to see his property returned to him. Ive always believed in Karma.

 

[withdrawn34]

Is there blood on the muzzle? I kid.

I'd be careful. Maybe it wasn't as innocently "lost" as it appears. You nor your friend has any idea what the history of the gun is. The serial number may already be reported as lost, stolen, or perhaps on a crime report for some crime.

The "right" thing to do would be to give it over to LE. I have no idea what the police in that area is like, but mostly likely, that will be the last time you ever see it. Sorry man.

 

[hvengel]

The serial number may already be reported as lost, stolen, or perhaps on a crime report for some crime.

Even worse there might be a bullet and/or casing from this gun sitting in an evidence locker related to a crime committed with the gun. If someone is found to have such a gun they will have lots of explaining to do.

 

[CoRoMo]

so the carpet installer wants to trade the firearm for a loran for his boat. so he meets a guy at the marina who is willing to make a trade. the guy at the marina decides he does not want to trade so the carpet installer gets in his car and drives back across town on the way he gets ambushed by the cops who charge the carpet installer with possession of a stolen firearm

Something major is missing in these statements.

Where did the authorities get the idea that the handgun was stolen?
You attempt to make a private transaction and somehow the cops instantly swarm you?
You weren't able to use the inquiry with the sheriff in your defense?

I'm not calling BS on you, but without further info, it just doesn't smell pretty IMHO.

 

[rainbowbob]

Isn't ANY firearm that you don't know the history of as likely to be stolen as the one in question here?

Does everyone here suggesting it be turned in to the police run a stolen firearm check before completing a private purchase?

 

[Yellowfin]

It very well might be someone's pocket gun and it casually fell out. Is there an anonymous way to inquire about SN's so if it's not stolen or used in a crime you don't have to give it up?

 

[rainbowbob]

It very well might be someone's pocket gun and it casually fell out.

From the OP:

...a .380 handgun, unloaded, in a case, with 2 magazines completely full of ammunition...

 

[CoRoMo]

Two weeks later, I wonder if Roost has gotten anywhere with this pistol's history.

 

[send2r]

i can only answer one of your questions that one is the last the records of all recordings are kept for two weeks it took a little longer time asking around for someone to take it in trade i was going to keep it but really wanted a loran for my boat more. i lived 30minutes from the sea buoy out side the east pass in destin. spent every spare minute fishing in the gulf of mexico. the guy at the marina was someone the guy from the bait shop gave me his number i called him and arranged a meeting between his schedule and mine it took a few days any way he was an off-duty policeman. plus i am trading a 400.00 gun for a two hundred dollar loran. remember the gun was free to me and i really wasn't in to shooting but fishing at the time.

 

[Jim K]

I have to rate this whole thread as a bunch of crud. If you find a gun and don't know to whom it belongs or there is no obvious place to turn it in (such as a range officer if a gun was left on the range), turn it in to the police. In fact, it is better not to even touch it, simply call the police to come and get it. If it turns out to be a crime gun, you don't want your prints all over it. Try to get a receipt from the police; in some states it would be like any other found item, and would be yours if no one claims it. In other states, it would be illegal to even pick it up as you would then be "in possession" without the proper papers.

Jim

 

[rbernie]

I can see no value in keeping it open.