Found in Backyard

[CoRoMo]

When do you think I should contact them to see if they found anything?

Immediately and continuously.

You have to realize that searching for a history of that gun is nobody's priority at all. It will sit on a desk or in a locker for infinity until you pester them into doing a search. They might not even know how to go about it in the first place since it has no serial number, and since it is so old and uncommon.

If they can't find anything on the gun, don't know how to research the gun, etc. you need to ask for it back ASAP. They might deny you because they "still need to do some digging", but that might go on forever.

If I were in your shoes, I would honestly call them every day if it were something I wanted to get back in a bad way. This particular gun might be expendable though.

 

[Odd Job]

The ammunition might be worth quite a bit to a cartridge collector, should have only given one cartridge to the cops and posted pics of the other two in the IAA forum (check my sig).

 

[XavierBreath]

Guys, come on.

Some of you might have had bad dealings with police officers taking your property, or using throw downs after unjustifiable shootings. I am not denying that these things do occur, but the vast majority of police officers are honest and would have little to no interest in this gun. Those who would use throw downs will not get such a gun from the desk sergeant at the station. A dirty cop doesn't have to wait until a citizen turns in a found handgun to obtain a throw down gun. A reciept has been obtained on this gun, and photographs of it have been taken. Using this gun as a throw down would be stupid.

How could this gun have been involved recently in a crime? First, it could be stolen. Theft of firearms is a crime. Guns don't sprout from the dirt like weeds. It was tossed there for some reason. Second, fully functioning new firearms are not necessary to intimidate most people in strong arm robberies and rapes. Such crimes have been sucessfully committed with toy guns. Don't fool yourself into thinking that it takes a gun that will function to commit a crime.

How can it be used to connect crimes? The gun is reported stolen in a burglary in a neighboring county. There may be an unsolved rape or robbery involving a similar gun near the scene where the gun was found. Suddenly the scope of the rape/robbery investigation widens and clues from the burglary plus clues from the rape/robbery bag the criminal. Don't think that it can't happen. Police connect crimes of differing natures to catch criminals every day.

Sometimes folks are too quick to condemn the police. The finder of this revolver has photographs of it, as well as a reciept from the local police. He has stated his desire to have it returned to him when it is cleared. Unless the criminal is nice enough to jot down the serial number of his gun for his victim, serial numbers do not clear guns from crimes. A serial number can only show that the gun has been reported as stolen, that is all, and that is assuming the rightful owner recorded the serial.

Lets not paint the police with a wide brush dipped into our own prejudice. If they fail to return the gun, have at it with the specific parties involved, but please refrain from broad sweeping statements that have no merit. That being said, I do think the finder of the gun needs to stay in touch with the police and make certain they know he hasn't forgotten or given up on the gun.

 

[rondog]

Too bad you listened to others, you will never see that gun again. I would have kept it.

I agree. It's so old, that if it WAS used in a crime, most likely everyone associated with the incident and any investigation are long dead and gone. Does seem suspicious that it had two fired rounds and three live ones in it, and was found in a vacant lot. Quite possible it was a crime gun, but pinning a crime on an ancient .41 rimfire with no numbers? I believe that would be an exercise in turd polishing. I would have kept it.

Now, if it was a more modern revolver with a s/n, and it wasn't in such bad shape, that's a whole 'nother story.

 

[mesinge2]

I actually got my rusted-up POS back

I received a letter form the Sheriff's Office and I was worried I had run a light or something. Anyways, I open it and it states I have 30 days to retreive my property from evidence or it will be disposed of, the letter did not even list what it was.
I was so surprised when I got there and they actually gave me a evidence bag with this rusted up thing in it.

I have to go get a display case now. I have never been so happy to get such a piece of junk.
I honestly never thought I would see it again.

I posted here in case anyone was subscribed to this thread still, but I also posted a new thread(http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=6411348#post6411348)

 

[armoredman]

That's really neat, I hope you get a nice shadowbox for it.

 

[Zilmo]

Great story.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Great!

 

[XavierBreath]

Fantastic!

 

[ccsniper]

Guns don't sprout from the dirt like weeds.

if only