A stolen gun question

[PeterJ]

I bought the grandson a Ruger Mk IV for his graduation and just heard from his dad yesterday that the gun and other items got stolen over the weekend. I understand he had it secured, kind of, in a small safe, but the safe was just ripped out of the floor and disappeared. I am really bummed over this as I hoped he may pass it down to his son or grandson some day, but even more, I fear that someone could be shot or killed with the gun. A question I have is, what are the chances that guns are ever recovered in deals like this ? This is so upsetting as I have never had anything like this happen. Just lucky I guess.

 

[Jebus35745]

You never know, may depend on how stupid the thieves are. Larry

 

[6518John]

I bet some of the law enforcement officers on the forum will weigh in shortly, and I suspect they will say the odds are slim to none. But miracles occasionally happen.

Hopefully the dad/grandson can replace the pistol with any insurance coverage.

 

[TX-Dennis]

Chances of recovery are slim, but not impossible. It could take years to get it back if it is ever recovered.

 

[Nightowl]

I assume the theft was reported to the local police agency. If the descriptive information, including serial number is provided to them, it should automatically be entered into the NCIC system. Any officer checking the firearm anywhere, anytime will get pretty instant information that said gun is stolen. Person in possession of said gun gets arrested, gun goes into evidence, and everybody awaits trial. Depending on jurisdiction, this may take a year or more. After trial, evidence is kept in case of appeal, sometimes for quite a while.

The best case for immediate recovery is if the gun is recovered by police laying on a sidewalk somewhere with no chance for a prosecution. Then you should get the gun back.

In reality, the best action would be just to replace the gun, and then you will have the pleasure of using it. Even if in the unlikely event you get the gun back, it most likely will not have been taken very good care of, and may not even be functional.

 

[JH1951]

Report it as stolen. That will be the only hope of getting it back.
The recovery rate of stolen firearms in the US is said to be a shade under 15%.

 

[Bubba2014]

Do you or your son know the serial number of the gun, or have any other way to prove it is yours? Police often recover stolen guns or other property, but have no idea who they belong to. I hope you get it back.

 

[Rpg]

Unless you are uncommonly fortunate, you'll never see the gun again.

Fortunately, the gun is readily replaceable: it's not an out of production item or particularly unique.

If you're properly insured, replacing the gun will be painless.

 

[PeterJ]

Do you or your son know the serial number of the gun, or have any other way to prove it is yours? Police often recover stolen guns or other property, but have no idea who they belong to. I hope you get it back.

When I gave him the gun, I also gave him an inventory book that lists all the guns you own along with all pertinent information about the gun. I hope it wasn't with the gun, but I haven't talked to my grandson yet. I could get the serial # from the store I bought it from,,, I think.

 

[PeterJ]

How about if it goes to a pawn shop ? Are they required to check if a firearm is stolen ? If it is, what happens to the gun ?

 

[WR Moore]

OK, not all states kick in information to the NCIC. In states that do, not all LLLEAs bother to file reports. If your state/agency do, the gun doesn't leave the state and it's recovered in a situation where the agency involved decides to check the NCIC on firearms you'll probably get contacted after the case is ajudicated.

A discussion with the grandson about who he told about the gift might turn up some suspects.

Get a copy of the police report, file an insurance claim.

 

[PeterJ]

One interesting fact,,, he lived with 3 other young men. One of them had nothing disturbed or taken in the burglary. Police said that was a bit of concern.

 

[e3mrk]

Just be sure to report it as stolen and give the police the serial number in case it is used in a crime and recovered so the true owner has proof he reported it stolen and wont have problems .

 

[Rustyt1953]

Five years ago, I had a Ruger Standard stolen. The perp was later apprehended but the gun was not recovered.

I gave the detectives the serial number.

I'm still waiting.

 

[Drm50]

I have been involved in stolen gun cases several times. A m29
was stolen here in SE Ohio in 1972. In 1980 the police in Texas,
I think it was Dallas, recovered it in a crime and traced it back to
me. Another time when I was a dealer I sold a pistol to a local
who had house broken into and gun stolen. About 5 years latter
it turned up in crime in Buffalo, NY. Several times Customers
had guns stolen and we're lucky enough the thieves were stupid
and took them over to WVa and pawned them. Recovery was
pretty fast. I believe a lot of gun theft is part of dope pipeline.
They must use them like cash in their dope dealing. Most of the
stolen guns will never show up again. Everyone should make
sure they have serial numbers of their guns. That is only way to
recover them, especially guns bought prior to 68. There is no
records on them.

 

[hoc9sw]

When I gave him the gun, I also gave him an inventory book that lists all the guns you own along with all pertinent information about the gun. I hope it wasn't with the gun, but I haven't talked to my grandson yet. I could get the serial # from the store I bought it from,,, I think.

You should check to see if you can get the serial number from the store (you should be able to). IF the gun is recovered, because of the 4473, it will trace back to you, and you may get a visit from LE. You'll want to be ready to relate the purchase to the theft to clear any involvement you might be presumed to have.

Also, is the box still around somewhere? It will have the SN and model.

I would be very suspicious if only one roommate was robbed. I went through that once, paid dearly, and have never had a roommate since.

 

[Telecaster]

There's no point in worrying whether it'll be used in a crime, you cannot control that. They could have stolen a baseball bat and used it in a crime.

 

[nachogrande]

WHILE DOING IT THE RIGHT/LEGAL WAY...

While moving & waiting on paperwork to allow me to bring handguns from Co to NY, a Ruger MKl & super Blackhawk were stolen. We had a real good idea who did it. That was 1983, still waiting. You might want to look for a bigger/better safe, or place for him to keep guns. At least it wasn't a valuable/hard to come by S&W. Buy another in a while & keep the mouth shut/ NO show & tell. It doesn't sound like the work of a criminal mastermind, maybe he will get lucky.

 

[dave1918a2]

I had two guns stolen by My old neighbors druggy ex husband. Idiot took them to the nearest pawn shop and got rid of them. Fortunatly I had pictures and serial numbers and called APD right away. Prints ID'd the perp and the pawn shop detail got a call from the pawn shop. I met the LEO at the pawn shop and ID'd the guns. After the trial the guns were ordered returned to Me. This all took one year and 6 days.
My old hunting buddy got a call from Littleton PD in June. A 1911 stolen from His house in 1996 had been recovered and to come get it. I guess We both got lucky.

 

[Rule3]

How about if it goes to a pawn shop ? Are they required to check if a firearm is stolen ? If it is, what happens to the gun ?

I do not know where you live or if it is a Federal Pawn "law"


But here all pawned items uploaded" to the Pawn Police (sheriff)every night. If an item is reported stolen it will get a hit,
Pawn items have 30 day hold on them before they can be resold. If it is found, you get the joy of BUYING the gun back from the pawn shop. Crazy I know.