I was going to post the following in a separate posting, but realized that perhaps it warranted its own thread.
1. Write down the serial numbers and model information EXACTLY as it appears on your gun. The officer who finds your gun may not be a gun crank.
2. Write legibly. Trying to decide whether you wrote an 0 or an 8 years later can frustrate efforts to recover your gun. And if you guess wrong, you'll almost certainly never see your gun again.
3. Keep all serial numbers of your guns, and other valuables, somewhere where they won't be discovered with your valuables. Thieves have been known to come across such lists and steal them as well, just to thwart efforts at recovery.
Myself, I made copies of my sheets and put them in both my vehicles. That way, even if I'm on vacation a thousand miles from home and get a gun stolen, I can provide the serial number right away.
A good place to keep a list is in a Zip-Loc bag in your freezer. During a fire, the contents of the freezer are typically the last to burn, because of the insulation and the cold items that help stave off heat longer.
This is also a good place to keep non-valuable documents such as copies of your will, insurance documents and such. Copies should also be kept with your attorney.
Do NOT lock these documents into your safe. If you die suddenly, it is not unusual that no one knows your combination number. This can delay important instructions to the family and the recovery of property.
4. When you report a stolen firearm to the police, it gets entered in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), a national, federally run depository for stolen items.
Guns do not expire from this depository. As long as the gun is listed stolen, it will reside in this database. Only the agency that originally entered the stolen gun can remove it from NCIC, unless it's been recovered.
5. There have been instances where stolen guns, used in crimes, are held for years in evidence lockers. People have had to go to court to get their gun back -- and not always successfully. This will depend on the crime, jurisdiction it's held under and largely the attitude of those holding it. Is it worth spending $2,500 in lawyer fees to recover a $300 rifle? You decide. Alas, gun owners have been held over a barrel on this issue.
6. Photograph your guns, against a scale like a yardstick or ruler.
Being able to provide a photograph of your stolen gun(s) may greatly aid its recovery.
A white grease pencil lightly rubbed into the serial number or manufacturer markings will make it visible to the camera. Please take the time to check that the photo is in focus and well-lit.
For close-up photos, even the most basic point-and-shoot digital camera will have a micro option. Micro is most often marked on a button or dial with a flower, similar to a tulip.
Read the instructions. Camera manuals may be downloaded from the internet.
After the closeup photos, don't forget to take the camera off Micro.
A strong light aimed at a white wall next to your firearm will often provide plenty of ambient light for photos; the use of a flash can wash out important features.
Use this "bounce light" if you can, or put the gun on a blanket in the shade of the house on a sunny day and try that.
Don't put a blued gun on a black blanket, or a blanket with a distracting background. An olive-drab G.I. blanket is often a good background. If you need a white background, use a bed sheet.
Poorly focused, overexposed photos are almost useless when it comes to identification. Take the time to get good photos. You don't have to do this all in one day. Set up a corner in the basement or garage and do a little each day.
Buy a small, white wipe-off board and put on it, in letters large enough to be read, important information. For example:
Oct. 5, 2009 (date photo was taken)
Smith & Wesson Model 29
.44 Magnum
Ser. No. N309876
6-1/2 barrel
Bob Hergelverber
Plummer, Idaho
208-123-4567
This way, no matter what police department that photo goes to, they'll positively know where it came from and what it represents. Cops aren't psychic; help them out as much as you can.
If you take a close-up photo and the board won't fit, try writing the information on a white slip of paper with a black felt pen. If all you can get is your name and gun model, that will be enough to match it to the other photos.
And remember, write legibly! Leave no doubt in the reader's mind what he's looking at.
7. It's rare that a gun, recovered after many years, will lead to the person whole stole it. Most of the time, guns get traded, sold or stolen down the line and the path back to the original thief has evaporated.
8. Don't forget to send a thank-you note to the department that recovers your firearm. Everyone likes an occasional "attaboy" and the police don't hear enough of them.
9. Shotguns and .22 rifles were not required to have a serial number on them until 1968. Many of the inexpensive .22s and shotguns prior to 1968 have no serial number.
In this instance, take an engraver and put your name on the gun, if it's not a high-value gun. Place it where it's readily seen, yet doesn't mar the gun. The underside of the barrel is often a good place.
Putting your name under the grips or buttplate is of dubious value.
In the field, if the police find your unloaded gun in the backseat of a car they pulled over for speeding, they will likely not take the time to remove the stock or grips and look for hidden identifying marks.
If they can't find a mark, or a serial number (if it's a shotgun or .22 made before 1968), they'll almost certainly let it go because they have no reason to believe it's stolen.
No serial number?
You can create a unique identifer by using your name and birthdate. Engrave bobsmith680324 (Bob was born March 24, 1968) in a visible place and you'll have a unique identifier to report it stolen, and to recover it.
10. Take the time to report a stolen gun. Murderers have been caught on such minor efforts so it's worth it.
When I was a reporter years ago, I did a story on an 1898 Mauser rifle stolen from a Texas home 18 years before. It turned up in an Idaho pawn shop, but it took 18 years to get there.
The sheriff told me that the owner, when called, was both flabbergasted and delighted that his rifle was finally found. He'd given up on it.
Most of all, secure your firearms when you're not there to watch them. If you have to leave it in vehicle, at the very least put it out of sight. A small strongbox, secured with a length of chain around a seat strut, will delay most thieves and force them to make a lot of noise while trying to get in the box or pull it free. Few thieves will take the trouble.
Long guns, such as rifles and shotguns, can be kept in the trunk, out of sight. If you can, remove a critical part, such as a bolt or barrel, and hide or secure it separate from the gun.
And don't advertise that you're a gun owner. "From My Cold, Dead Hands" bumper stickers and NRA decals just tell thieves, 'Hey! There's probably a gun in this vehicle!"
Gun racks in pickups are dead giveaways. Store the guns behind or under your seat, if nothing else.
At home, use a gun safe. Even a $200 safe is better than keeping them in the closet or under your mattress.
Never leave a gun out unloaded. If it's stolen, and used to injure or kill someone, you'll be in the legal fight of your life. You'll likely lose your home, savings, vehicles and any other valuables (including other guns) by the time the civil suit finishes with you.
Take the time to at least write down the make, model, barrel length, finish (blue, nickel, stainless, chrome?) and serial number of your guns.
It may seem like a pain, but it's well worth the effort.
The best way to fight gun control is to use and store firearms responsibly.
Thwart gun thieves
Linear Mode
