I found a Pistol?

[VenomRR]

Hey guys i found a pistol in real good shape near the trash of an apartment building. The landlord was cleaning and throwing everything away from an appartment in that building where a man had past away. I am assuming that it could have been that mans pistol. The serial# and everything is very legible and I was wondering if I could get in trouble for having it and also how could i go about getting it registerd in my name..

Please try to give the most legal advise as possible. I live in Connecticut.

 

[rkh]

Call the police, and let them know where you found it. They'll hold it for a while, run the numbers to make sure it isn't stolen, check it against their docket of active investigations, and otherwise verify that the gun is clean.

Make sure you inform the police in writing that if the gun isn't reported lost/stolen and hasn't been used in the comission of a crime, you claim it as your own. Provided you have a valid CT pistol permit, they will be required to discharge it into your keeping after X number of months.

You don't register pistols in CT, but you are required to hold a state issued license. I'd go ahead and get the ball rolling on that. Depending on where you live, it might take 6-8 months to get it issued.

 

[gunsmith]

I'm not sure about CT law

The circumstances are very suspicious to me, I would have left the gun on the ground and called the cops.
Even if it is the dead guys gun, it belongs to his heirs, it isn't "yours"...so... do the right thing

You'll feel better about a gun you saved up for and could pass on to your heirs.

 

[VenomRR]

Why would i have to turn it in just asking can't i just get in touch with the weapons division of bridgeport and tell them what happen also i don't really remember exactly what the address is.. also if he had heirs i wonder why the landlord was cleaning his apartment..
Not an argument thanks for the reply

 

[jselvy]

I think the police would desire to have said weapon in their possession while criminal investigations on it are done.

Jefferson

 

[BADUNAME13]

One tact: Is to CALL the PD from a pay phone, and ask them to run the numbers... Now if it IS stolen... you should turn it in...

PS: What kind of pistol?

 

[VenomRR]

it is a beretta Mini Cougar Mod:8040f also what are the chances of me getting in trouble because i took it home and have had it for a while in my possesion but i want to do the right thing also i am licensed my print are all over it and my friends to from looking at it but i was never sure what to do i dont think its stolen or used in a bad way i think the landlord just didn't know what to possibly do with it..

 

[BADUNAME13]

KNOWINGLY possessing stolen property is a crime. I bought a gun that was stolen previously from a paun shop... (The Gov't. was slow at running the numbers...) A detective came over, took my statement that I bought it... gave me a recept and that was it. (Got my $ back from the shop)

Call in the #'s from a pay phone... if it is not stolen, take to to the PD... and do what was outlined above (See wether someone claims it... and put in to get it if it is not claimed (Be SURE to do this... otherwise some cop will take it home)


FYI For taking off prints... whipe it down, and then submerge it in oil... when someone whipes off the oil they take off the prints...

 

[Ned Flangers]

Well, found near the trash is a red flag. Emphasis on near. Honestly, I don't think the landlord would have chucked it in a dumpster where a kid could find it. Would you? Do the right thing and turn it over. If your story is true, you have nothing to worry about.

 

[TargetTerror]

I don't think its worth the risk hanging on to it without calling the Police. Suppose it was used in a crime, and for whatever reason you are question and the gun comes up or is discovered. Now you have, at best, a stolen gun, and at worst a gun used in a crime. Good luck getting out of that mess...

Granted, that is a worse-case scenario, but I don't think that remote possibility is worth the price of the gun.

If I were you, I would hand it over to the police, and ask/request that it be returned to you if it is not stolen and otherwise clean.

 

[Black Knight]

When you hand the pistol to the police officer make triple sure you get a receipt for the Beretta. It should have your name, his name and badge number, the date and time, the make, model and serial number of the pistol at the very least. That way if it isn't stolen and you are allowed to claim it you can prove you were the one who turned it in. Many years ago my Father's store was broken into and a P-38 was stolen. He had the serial number and everything, and a police investigation was initiated. About three months later a detective came into the store to just look around (high crime neighborhood). Guess what he had in his belt. You guessed it, my dad's P-38. The detective denied it was my dad's but when the detective handling the case came over with the report guess who was red faced. My dad called the chief to "thank" him for the detective "returning" his pistol. Keep up with them on the pistol or it might end up in a cop's collection. I'm not trying to bash cops especially since I am one but, these things do happen.

 

[nwilliams]

If it were me and I found it laying next to the trash I would have stood there and called the cops from my cell phone and made sure no kids found it until the cops arrived, but that's just me.

Now that you can't do that, I don't know what to suggest. Maybe you can wipe it down and put it back where and how you found it and then call the cops.

I certainly wouldn't take any chances, if it was used in a crime and they found it in your possession you never know what could happen. I'd also be afraid to sell it, I know most if not all the gun stores where I live run the numbers of any guns you trade-in or sell.

Granted the gun would have to be stolen to show up as an illegal weapon and if it was legally bought but used in a crime it would probably slip by unnoticed. However then it comes down to what is morally right, if you have evidence that could lead to the prosecution of a murderer wouldn't you rather it be in the courtroom rather than your living room?

Good luck!

 

[Autolycus]

Call the police and turn it in. If it was property of the dead man they may know. I would ask the landlord if he threw it out. If your afraid to ask I would tell the police that this was a possibility and maybe they will ask for you.

 

[Chuck Dye]

There is such a thing as "theft of found property." Fail to jump through the right hoops in many jurisdictions and, bingo, you are a thief.

 

[Art Eatman]

My own opinion is that in today's world, in a gun-control state, a person is best served by giving the pistol to the police--and forgetting about it. Tell the truth about the circumstances.

Me, I'd type up the full story; two copies. One for me, one for the cops.

Or, if you know a lawyer, let him do the deed for you.

And the last thing one might do at THR is recommend anything less than honesty and observing the law--and our opinions of the laws are irrelevant.

Art

 

[Dgindlesperger]

I agree with call the police.....turn it in ASAP, there may be a reason it was tossed.....also might be late but hope you thought about fingerprints.

 

[Elza]

Nomad, 2nd: I bought a gun that was stolen previously from a paun shop... (The Gov't. was slow at running the numbers...) A detective came over, took my statement that I bought it... gave me a recept and that was it. (Got my $ back from the shop)

You’re lucky. In Texas, it is the pawn shop that is protected, not the buyer. If you buy something from a pawn shop and it turns out to be stolen you are out $$$. One of my best friends in the world owns a pawn shop here in town. We have had a couple of ‘discussions’ regarding the fairness of this law.

 

[Nio]

"Finder's Keepers, Looser's Weepers."

It says that in the Bible next to the part where it says, "Seek and ye shall find."

Unfortunately, if the pistol is stolen or has been used in a crime and at some point in the future the authorities find it in your posession, then that's bad. On the whole good/bad scale, that could be VERY bad. Not worth it. Turn it in.

Nio

 

[jaytex1969]

If you found it and turn it in, there should be no problem with your prints being on it. Some would think to pick it up with a glove or rag initially, but not the majority, I would guess.

 

[mbt2001]

uhhhhhh

You can get into tons of trouble for having that gun. Do not call the police from a payphone. Call the police and tell that you found a gun and what should you do? They will give you instructions, follow them.

This isn't your Grandmothers attic.... This is a gun that was found near a trashcan in an apartment complex. Assume the worst. If it turn out better than that, good for you.

Think of what would happen if 20 years from now that gun is (for some reason) confiscated and tested by the police and the ballistics come up that it was used in a murder 20 years ago...... Good luck getting out of that mess with a story that shows and astounding lack of ethics....

 

[1BLINDREF]

Do the right thing - call the police.
#1 - The gun doesn't belong to you.
#2 - Is a Beretta Mini Cougar really worth getting in trouble for??

 

[TonyStarks]

Call the police, report and hope for the best. But i would not get too attached to it. I didnt see if previous posts mentioned wether it was loaded when you found it or the condition it was in. Was it cleaned or did it look like it had been fired?
Either way, i would not get attached to it. I know it feels like you found a hidden treasure but you may have found a real nightmare if you're not careful.

Good luck

 

[tinygnat219]

VenomRR,

Just turn it in and be a good citizen. You don't know the gun's history.

 

[applesanity]

near the trash of an apartment building.

So I gotta ask - what were you doing there?

I mean, I doubt there was a flashy neon sign that read, "FREE BERETTA! COME AND GET IT!"

There must have been some effort on your part. Or you just happened to be the first person to walk past it and do something about it.

 

[oldfart]

I guess, being back East and all, people there seem to think differently but if I were put in that same position I'd give thanks to the Gun Fairy and keep my mouth shut. But then I also don't mind buying a gun in a bar. The possibility that it's a stolen gun doesn't make it any less useful and I know that if I buy it I can be sure it won't be used to rob convenience stores whereas the guy three stools down might use it to get enough money to pay his bar tab.