Recovered 5906 damaged by the police.

Tinkertech said:

Worked for Dallas in the 70's on police radio installs and repair. Often found guns inside the car's trunk where the radio was just dumped in with all the other junk. Asked why? Response was they were going to turn it in latter; just let it rattle around!

Also worked for a body cam company in ~2010 - 2020, there is really only two major ones, and I won't say which. Same response, also "they won't be returned anyway".

A few years ago in the 90's, had my friend's son caught with his dad's 45. (he was just transporting it from the range) confiscated in mint condition, returned after 6 months beat to hell.

While it does not happen very often it does happen and was told 'don't worry about it'.

Best friend since high school was a cop until he retired, didn't even know what model of gun he carried, but he said "I know it's a S&W".

So there, no ax to grind. Heck, most don't not even take care of their own firearms.

To them 'it's just a tool like a hammer'. At the end of the day just dump it in the toolbox.

Cops are not firearm enthusiasts like the rest of us on this forum most I've met could care less.

Click to expand...

Another statement made with broad strokes. Although many cops are not firearm enthusiasts, they know that their firearms may be the difference between coming home on their own vs. coming home in a box! They may not have the luxury of keeping their firearms in pristine, collectable condition like many on here, but a great majority of their firearms get “street time” on them. Their weapons have wear on them from being holstered and unholstered a number of times each day, out in inclement weather, or put in lockboxes while booking suspects into jail. Their weapons are used daily, unlike some of the sock and drawer queens on this forum.

Tinkertech said:

To them 'it's just a tool like a hammer'. At the end of the day just dump it in the toolbox.

Click to expand...

To most people a gun is a tool.

KWW said:

Another statement made with broad strokes. Although many cops are not firearm enthusiasts, they know that their firearms may be the difference between coming home on their own vs. coming home in a box! They may not have the luxury of keeping their firearms in pristine, collectable condition like many on here, but a great majority of their firearms get “street time” on them. Their weapons have wear on them from being holstered and unholstered a number of times each day, out in inclement weather, or put in lockboxes while booking suspects into jail. Their weapons are used daily, unlike some of the sock and drawer queens on this forum.

Click to expand...

Using the word "Cop" implies a broad stroke. Like any other profession 49% of the profession is below average.

Tinkertech said:

Police don't treat other people's guns or property with any respect at all.
They consider them all disposable unless the owner fights for its return, then they will treat it worse.
Personally, I would not want my gun back after it had been stolen for any period of time, I already know what it will look like.
I worked around too many cops for too many years and saw how they treat other people's property. They don't consider the property to ever be returned so no need to take any care in handling anything. To them, its disposable evidence.

Click to expand...

As someone who runs a evidence room i take offense. I go outta my way to get property returned. And if you ask most cops the evidence room workers are usually very strict as we don't want to get sued for improper practices...

Plus all recovered guns should get test shot at the lab for ballistics comparison so the lab will have a descriptiom of the condition of the gun before it's returned back to the pd. If it was too damaged that woulda been noted.

Noones gonna go outta the way to damage a gun. Either they're sealed in a gun box or have a tag on it loose depending on the dept. The unclaimed ones all get shredded once a year after the case is over. Ive sadly sent off mint vintage S&W revolvers in boxes with paperwork to their deaths cause family found them in a deceased relatives home and they don't want them or wanna sell them.

I guess that depends on where you live.
I live in Central FL and back in Feb was riding my motorcycle when I was run down by a cager.
I told the officer about the gun in my pocket and surrendered it to him, I spent the next 3 months in hospital and another in rehab. They are only required to hold them for 30 days but when I called I was made an appointment to come in and retrieve it. On Tue I went to the Evidence Recovery department and my carry piece was returned to me in perfect condition, including the mag and ammo, with a smile and a handshake.

After spending 60+ years in the Peoples Republic of Illinois I'm so happy to have retired to Free Florida.

As to your weapon, it's a 40 year old gun that's been used, abused, bent and God knows what was done with it.
Give it a respectful retirement and buy a new one.

A tale from another forum. Guy had a collector grade first generation Colt stolen. It was recovered and owner was told it would be returned after the thief's trial. Gun went missing. Fast forward several decades former owner spots the gun listed at a prominent auction house. Armed with serial number and police reports owner contacts the auction house. It turned out the gun was consigned for auction by the estate of the judge who presided over the trial of the original thief. Lots of finger pointing after that.

DHernandez said:

Any firearm seized during a federal investigation is going to be destroyed. That’s how it works by law.

Click to expand...

That’s not correct. As one example, see 9.7.12.5(6): https://www.irs.gov/irm/part9/irm_09-007-012#idm140010661911504

I am amazed at some of the comments I see here. I hope many were made after a bout of heavy drinking. A lot of cop haters on this forum. “Axe To Grind” fits this thread perfectly. Short on substance, high on emotion. This fits conspiracy theories to a T. Don’t believe hardly anything you read on an Internet forum that involves a controversial subject. Americans have become too stupid to look past their own noses.

lilwoody said:

My son had a 5906 Tactical stolen in 2022. It was recovered within a month from a convicted felon …

Click to expand...

Was that your son’s “truck gun”?

How was it stolen?

mtgianni said:

Using the word "Cop" implies a broad stroke. Like any other profession 49% of the profession is below average.

Click to expand...

Pretty inflamatory! You must not know very many. How many ride alongside have you been on. Just getting hired and graduating from an academy proves that you are way above average in terms of intellect and integrity!

UFGator said:

A lot of cop haters on this forum. “Axe To Grind” fits this thread perfectly.

Click to expand...

A sad statement on todays world and I am NOT police.

I don’t know why your son’s gun was in the state that it was I , but usually when something is recovered and put into evidence, there’s some description of how and in what condition it was recovered. Furthermore, trashing a piece of evidence doesn’t help a case. I’ve had prosecutors inquire if recovered guns were functional before filing a gun charge. Can’t say that I haven’t heard about shenanigans where certain valuable items were reappropriated, but it’s not the norm and pretty frowned upon.

Some agencies engrave case numbers on evidence, and some prefer to document the description, photograph, place it in a bag or box so that it doesn’t get damaged or tainted.

Fed agencies are required to notify the last known owner a piece of property in evidence is going to be destroyed. In the case of convicted felons, they may delegate someone who can legally take possession, after proper checks. DOJ Feds must use forfeiture proceedings to destroy firearms. Serial numbers will be checked thru NCIC and sometimes traces will be run. If it’s stolen, letters will go out to last known addresses.

I’ve seen few criminals who took care of their guns. Removal grips is plausible by someone who thought it would make a gun conceal better, even if it didn’t.

Good points made by forum members regarding gun storage. Storing a pistol in the glove box or under the seat of a vehicle, or in a lingerie drawer and being under the impression a self respecting burglar won’t look there is just ludicrous. For temp storage, a lock box that fits under the seat and tethered to the frame is a good effort, at least. I think all of the guns recovered after the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory celebration were stolen, including the weapon used to take a life. Lock up your guns if you’re not carrying them!

And it seems there are a fair number of cops on this forum who are firearms enthusiasts and provide a level of real world experience on stuff they works and what doesn’t. I appreciate you, brothers.

moosedog said:

You know what I suggest? I suggest you stop accusing someone or some agency unless you can prove they did it.
As for Tinkerbell or Tech or whatever, you must be the kind of person who creates their own problems and has an axe to grind.

Click to expand...

Icdoubt you have any knowledge of this man's personality! Furthermore I've had a similar experience with a hand weapon. Maybe some police officers are collectors of firearms, but most aren't. He has a legitimate complaintgsins't these jerks

I had 2 stolen from my home in 2010. 13 years later i heard from Savannah P.D. one of them had been recovered in N.C.
Advised they would request for the return of the weapon if i wanted it. I did. Took more than a year to get notified it was
back in Savannah evidence room. 14 years and 2 days after it was stolen I had it back. Can't get any info on the recovery case.
Surprisingly, the Ruger SP101 is in pretty good condition. Functions as it should. Some handling marks but not nearly as bad as I
thought it would be. There is still hope my Glock 30 may pop up one day. MHG

lilwoody said:

Seeing how the slide will not go on the frame and most of the parts are there. I would say the felon wasn't running around town at 2300 hrs with a inoperable, in pieces weapon under the seat of his car.

Click to expand...

You've clearly not been in contact with many felons in possession of firearms . . .

jjfitch said:

Pretty inflamatory! You must not know very many. How many ride alongside have you been on. Just getting hired and graduating from an academy proves that you are way above average in terms of intellect and integrity!

Click to expand...

I think he was simply making the mathematically correct statement that 49% of any sample group is “below average,” by definition of the word “average.” That would imply below average for the sample group (police officers), not for the entire human race.

Trashed or destroyed is one way of stating it.

Roughly treated with no regard to its owner is another way of stating it.

A cop, sorry 'Police Officer' can inflict quite a bit of damage just by the way he handles the firearm especially if he has an antigun or don't care opinion.

I read a lot of posts on induvial firearm enthusiast's that spend countless hours returning 'roughly' treated firearms back to respectable condition, some almost look like new. Lots of lost value if said firearm was never restored.

How would you feel if your pristine gun was returned after some 'rough handling', that all the officers wanted to look it over and pass it around for a good look see, maybe even one of them thinking of adding it to his collection in the future, (it will never be returned anyway) especially if it was a high dollar 'special' model ie: Mint Python. This unfortunate event actually, happened to me.

I was out target shooting in the country with my new Python, next to me was an old man with his grandson shooting an old 22 rifle. Lone Cop showed up and asked everyone to leave except ME. Now the Cop and I were alone.
That COP wanted my new Python more than me the rightful owner. "Your fee to leave but the gun stays or you both go to jail" While this conversation was taking place the Police Chief of this small county arrives and after hearing the full story put a quick stop to this intimidating strong-arm attempted theft; I was then allowed to leave with my Python and the Chief suggested that I target shoot somewhere else and the COP was being dressed down as I drove away.

Worst case scenario I know.

So, there it does happen, I only hope it does not happen to you.

I've heard horror stories like this before. Then I think, I'm lucky, I had nothing to hide, I didn't lie to LEOs, I didn't bend any state or federal laws. All the mitigating factors most leave out of these stories.
Not saying it can't and doesn't happen, just not my experience.
I've had two instances where my personal firearms where confiscating.
One in NY in the 90s and one in AZ in 15. Both times my arms where retuned swiftly in the same condition they left in. I still have the evidence box my truck gun was in. I'll tell ya, I do get some looks when showing up to the range with that box. Lol

eclayton said:

I think he was simply making the mathematically correct statement that 49% of any sample group is “below average,” by definition of the word “average.” That would imply below average for the sample group (police officers), not for the entire human race.

Click to expand...

Let’s talk about Electricians or not. Every time I call one out for work. They always point out how bad the previous electrician’s work was.

I have seen the cops throw guns across the room and land in a wire basket.

I have seen cops claim they can no longer find a gun that was used in a crime and the trial has long been over. My friend never did get back his expensive Desert Eagle pistol. They tied it up for several years before claiming they lost it.

I have seen guns returned from Cops that looked like they had been drug behind a car across the parking lot.