Thanksgiving Theft - Making Sure I Am On Task

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Phoenix_III

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Good Evening.

Received I call around 2330 on Thanksgiving evening from my local PD. They asked me to come home. I live in an apartment complex. Six apartments were hit.

I had a Gun Vault Deluxe. It was pried open. 4 handguns stolen, and two long guns (in cases, next to the bed).

They 'got into' the Leasing Office, and got a Master key, and hit almost everyone in my wing (indoor corridors).

I provided all 6 serial #s and descriptions of the weapons to the local PD that night, and I called my insurance company (got the answering service who gave me a claim # and said an adjuster would call me Wednesday).

I should be receiving an itemized list to fill out (already made one in excel) for what else I have found missing so far.

The value of my weapons outstrips the Firearms and Related Equipment clause ($2000) in my Renter's Insurance (about $5000 in firearms). For my $1000 deductible, does the 'extra' in firearms count as my deductible? When I originally got the policy, they never asked me if I owned firearms, so I'm upset about this 'fine print' I read in the policy. We'll see how that turns out.

I wonder if 'Ammunition' counts as related equipment? I mean, it's not 'equipment', it's ammunition! What about holsters? (I could see the argument). What about Crimson trace grips, etc?

Basically, are there any other considerations I need to be aware of? Input welcome.

p3
 
Sounds an awful lot like an "Inside Job" to me.

Interesting how they found and identified the "Master Key" so quickly, then only hit 6 apts out of all the ones in your complex.

I'd be hauling in all the maintenance workers for questioning.

As for the loss, your situation is proof why it's a good to have a 'rider' on a homeowner's or renter's policy to cover firearms.

Good luck.
 
Sounds an awful lot like an "Inside Job" to me.

Interesting how they found and identified the "Master Key" so quickly, then only hit 6 apts out of all the ones in your complex.

I'd be hauling in all the maintenance workers for questioning.
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+1 to that.

Sounds like you have some pointed questions for the insurance company too.
 
Sounds like you have some pointed questions for the insurance company too.
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I doubt he'll get far. The $2000 limit on firearms is very standard in home-owners-renters policies. It sucks, but you need to have extra coverage. I think the NRA also offers some coverage for members.
 
Being a young person, and having this policy since my first apartment, no one ever consulted me on any particular property limits or classes. I feel that was not correct on their part. I would have paid the necessary amounts for adequate coverage, and upped it as necessary.
 
Man that sucks. Got to make sure that insurance is up to date.

If it ends up only really costing you $2k out of pocket, it could have been a lot worse.
 
Sorry to read of your troubles, take pictures of the gun vault and post them here. I had thought to buy that model for my kids. Was it mounted to something?
 
There are plenty of stories here that recount theft and insurance issues. Perhaps others will learn from your unpleasant experience and those others.

Keep in mind the RSC (not a safe) that you had provided little protection. Also, having the additional NRA insurance should be something anyone should have. If nothing else the standard free coverage from being an NRA member would cover your $1,000 of the deductible.

One other concern is that the thieves will return once they think the insurance has paid off and you've replaced your stolen property. Make sure it isn't as easy next time.
 
I believe it was an inside job. Will post pics on Tuesday for those that are interested. Apparently they used a big screw driver. Took safe as evidence to match the pry marks to the recovered tool(s). Was NOT mounted to anything, and it was hardly moved from it's location!
 
So I have to ask what type of safe do you own? I never imagined a decent safe large enough to hold long arms would be able to be pried open with a screwdriver... but then I don't know much about safe cracking.
 
Is there any liability to the complex? Their master key was stolen, sounds like you could get them for some sort of negligence.

My apartment turned condo complex was 455 units spread over 3 buildings. They had separate keys for every last one of them both when rental and when condo. Of course, if it was an inside job it wouldn't have mattered. But yes, they had to get a big key chain out when someone unplugged their smoke detector.
 
I will wait until the official police report. There is a warrant for an arrest. I don't want to go into particulars just yet.
 
That really stinks. Sorry about that, what a terrible Thanksgiving.

Being a young person, and having this policy since my first apartment, no one ever consulted me on any particular property limits or classes. I feel that was not correct on their part. I would have paid the necessary amounts for adequate coverage, and upped it as necessary.
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Young people learn stuff the hard way. The policy stated the limits or classes. They made an offer to you, and you accepted it. Now you're stuck with your bargain. That's the way insurance (and business) works. But not worth worrying about that now. At least you were smart enough to have insurance. Under-insured is better than completely uninsured. Besides, you always take a bath from insurance claims, lol (and trade-in value at a dealership, too :uhoh:). So make your claim, get whatever you can out of it, and buy yourself some new guns.

By the way, it is time to move. Seriously.

Good luck, and let us know what guns you buy. Things will get better! :)
 
I'm sorry to hear about this, I had something similar happen thirteen years ago. The meth-addict boyfriend of another tenant found where the landlord kept the keys to all the apartments in my building and hit everyone. I lost a handgun, high cap mags (during the ban) and Milt Sparks holster. The gun turned up a few months later in a pawn shop downtown with the trigger guard all marred up from where they cut the lock off of it. A couple of years ago the same pawn shop was busted for consistently dealing in stolen goods and sending out thieves with instructions on what to steal for them.
 
Dogs are better investments than cheep gun safes. You have a couple big dogs they will rob the neighbors. The other issue is living in a rent to be robbed apt. Rule 1 is 3/4 of the people that live in places like that are theives.
 
if your a nra member im pretty sure you have up to a grand basic coverage for your guns with their arms care thing
 
They couldn't have used a screwdriver to pry it open.:what:

According to their web site:

FOOLPROOF SECURITY

* Precise fittings are virtually impossible to pry open with hand tools.

Good luck, hope the police are able to find out who did it and you get your guns returned.
 
Bummer. If your insurance company has a $2000 limit on firearms and you have a $1000 deductible, plan on only receiving $1000 from the insurance company. If it were me, I'd consult with an attorney about possible actions available to you against the property owners - did they exhibit negligent behavior? Maybe, maybe not.

You now know the value of insurance - I'd much rather tell my insurance company "I had this loss, pay the claim" instead of screwing around with them about whether they were negligent by having a master key on the property that was so easily accessible, etc.
 
Get a Copy of the police report, as prevoiusly stated if you are an NRA member you have $1000 of coverage with your membership. Yes, they do pay. When my home burned, they paid $1000. I priovided them with a fire department report of fire, the fire marshall's investigation report (determination of accidental cause), and pictures of the recovered parts. In about a month I had a check.
 
Curious: What would the manufacturer make of this news? Could it help them improve their product? Or is this the kind of thing that my inner cynic says they'd rather ignore?
 
Forget insurance, I'd be advising the apartment complex you want compensated for your loss due to their negligence for improperly securing the keys to all their apartments.

I'd say it's worth at least full retail on everything (I mean everything) taken, time by the hour that you have to deal with this (including the cost per hour of any bennies you get) and at least one month's free rent and/or your security deposit returned.

If the complex refuses, get the other victims together and get an attorney.
 
I'm with jaholder1971. If they smashed the door open and took the guns, that is one thing, but I would think the apartment complex should be held responsible for allowing untrustworthy persons access to master keys in the first place.
 
Folks, we've had endless discussions about the difference between safes that store guns and what most of us own that are called "gun safes". These cheaper residential security containers provide some protection against thieves, but they are not intended to stop even moderately equipped minimally motivated thieves. In this case it sounds like the RSC the OP had wasn't even of that quality and was breached with a large screw driver.

I'd recommend going through the paperwork on the RSC and seeing if they offer any guarantee against forced entry with hand tools. If they do, get the cops to detail that all it took was a 18" screw driver to break into their product and then provide the report to them with a promise to put it on Youtube if they don't make good on the difference between the insurance and your cost.
 
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