Guns Stored In Vehicles, Revisited

[federali]

The subject of leaving guns in vehicles, like open carry vs. concealed carry, often provokes responses highly charged enough to result in the thread being closed or locked. For that reason, I refrain from any accusatory comments.

I just want to forward a police report that a backpacking Canadian tourist murdered this week in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, and a yoga instructor murdered on a hiking trail north of that city were both murdered with the same handgun stolen from an unlocked, parked vehicle at Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco on October 1st.

I'll stop short of making pronouncements, one way or the other. But, if your CCW activities requires you to occasionally leave a handgun in a vehicle. BUY AN APPROPRIATE SAFE! I know that leaving a gun under the driver's seat is indeed a very clever hiding place but only against thugs who are already brain-dead.

The family of Kate Steinle, murdered on the very same pier by an alien who stole the gun from a parked federal law enforcement vehicle, have filed suit against that agency. I'm not a lawyer so I'll refrain from commenting on the merits of that case.

 

[The Big D]

Very sad.

Some folks seem not to care a whit. PLEASE do not leave a gun unsecured.

Be safe.

 

[USAF385]

I don't leave one all the time, but when I do, I leave it tucked up behind the sun visor along with my keys.

Actually, it's likely better secured than many household safes.

 

[Road Rat]

Some folks seem not to care a whit. PLEASE do not leave a gun unsecured.

Be safe.

Big D, there are times when the LAW forces us to do so!!

I cannot park my car in the United States Post Office parking lot and leave my handgun in the car!!! I sure can't take it into the building with me!!

Some establishments have NO GUNS signs on the door. Do I ignore the sign or go back and put my handgun in the car??

Hospital have the same rules/regulations/law/whatever...

Personally I ignore all signs that are not FEDERAL.....there is no reason for a retail establishment to ever know I am LEGALLY carrying a handgun CONCEALED. There is no reason for a hospital to know the same thing. IF I am seeing a doctor I do not take my handgun . . .

IF I follow your logic I would never leave my home with a handgun because I can't possibly take it everywhere I go LEGALLY........

 

[colt_saa]

These heinous acts are not the fault of the inanimate object used

These heinous acts are not the fault of the person that had the inanimate object used stolen from them

These heinous acts are exclusively the fault of the SICK, EVIL PERSON that carried them out

When a SICK, EVIL PERSON wants to commit a crime of violence and can not get his/her hands on a gun, they will use a machete, knife, baseball bat, chainsaw, bomb, car, airplane, can of gasoline or whatever else is handy.

Let's keep the blame where the blame belongs

 

[Florida J Frame]

Big D, there are times when the LAW forces us to do so!!

I cannot park my car in the United States Post Office parking lot and leave my handgun in the car!!! I sure can't take it into the building with me!!

Some establishments have NO GUNS signs on the door. Do I ignore the sign or go back and put my handgun in the car??

Hospital have the same rules/regulations/law/whatever...

Personally I ignore all signs that are not FEDERAL.....there is no reason for a retail establishment to every know I am LEGALLY carrying a handgun CONCEALED. There is no reason for a hospital to know the same thing. IF I am seeing a doctor I do not take my handgun . . .

IF I follow your logic I would never leave my home with a handgun because I can't possibly take it everywhere I go LEGALLY........

Watch carrying into a hospital that provides mental health services ( almost all of them). It can be a state law that you are breaking, not a hospital rule. Check your area.

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

Your original post got me to thinking about my own situation because I was leaving shortly on a trip from Kingman, AZ to San Antonio, TX and I knew there would probably be occasions when I would have to leave my weapon in the car. In the past when I have done so I always remove the magazine and store the empty gun in my locked glove box.

After doing some research I bought a Hornady TriPoint Lockbox. I have a hidden compartment in my vehicle and the lockbox fit perfectly, thereby giving me a safe place to store my weapon. We just returned this past Monday from our trip and I will continue to use the lockbox if the need arises again. I only used it twice on our trip, but it worked out well because I also used it to store a substantial amount of cash along with my gun.

Love the box, well worth the money.

Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Security Products :: Lock Boxes :: TriPoint® Lock Box

 

[Pre 29]

Just a thought. If the handgun is a semi auto perhaps pull the slide and take it with you or hide the parts in different locations? Most thieves would not be interested in gun parts. Again, just a thought.

 

[Smoke]

Big D, there are times when the LAW forces us to do so!!

No.

There are any number of devices available that you can use to secure your gun in your vehicle. No one is "forcing" you to do anything

 

[ISCS Yoda]

These heinous acts are not the fault of the inanimate object used

These heinous acts are not the fault of the person that had the inanimate object used stolen from them

These heinous acts are exclusively the fault of the SICK, EVIL PERSON that carried them out

The weapon is not at fault. The person who left the weapon in his or her car is not at fault. To suggest otherwise is to stand with the hoplophobes. People have been leaving guns in cars for generations. The corollary is that over the course of time a certain number of cars will be broken into and a certain number of guns will be stolen. However, from the legal standpoint, it is NOT considered a foreseeable act that your car will be broken into and, therefore, the misuse of an item stolen from your car is not legally your responsibility.

The person who leaves a weapon unsecured in his or her home is not at fault. To suggest otherwise is to stand with the hoplophobes. People have been leaving guns unsecured in homes for generations. The corollary is that over the course of time a certain number of homes will be broken into and a certain number of guns will be stolen.

That's just life in a free country. Accept it for what it is.

 

[g8rb8]

All good points ...... so far.


Armchair quarterback evaluation of the lockboxes provided in the links from Smoke and Lee in Quartzsite show lockboxes that look like they could be fairly easily removed by cutting the cable that secures them and they look like they would not be too tough to open with a hammer and a pry bar or chisel. Maybe my assessment is way off base?

So is there really a significant benefit by using a lockbox as suggested above versus a fairly sturdy lockable glove box or center console? There seems to be a downside to anything short of a bolted down, heavy duty small safe with a robust locking mechanism.

 

[kenv1950]

I just don't carry when i know i'm going some place restricted, second thought ,I only carry in November and December when the Xmass crazies are lurking. I will and never will leave a gun in a car.

 

[hoc9sw]

Center consoles and glove boxes are first targets they look at. Neither in my vehicle are equipped with locks, and there is no separate trunk. Both underseat areas are floor doors to mechanical / electrical that can be easily removed.

So I use a cable & keylock box. Still looking for better options, but there isn't much out there.

 

[snuffy51]

Freedom

I was born and have lived my entire life in the "South", and never been forced to or had to go anywhere else out side it. Nor any desire or need to visit any more "civilized" areas. Laws and locks are only for honest people. Give all the the what if's and maybe's a rest. Do what you feel is right. If you can't do that, just go to New York City or California, nothing meant, just good examples.

 

[Road Rat]

No.

There are any number of devices available that you can use to secure your gun in your vehicle. No one is "forcing" you to do anything

Maybe I didn't quite understand the first quote: he said to never leave a firearm UNSECURED in the car. I have a lock-box held under the driver seat with a cable and sometimes I am FORCED to use it...............

 

[buzzkillbob]

...murdered with the same handgun stolen from an unlocked, parked vehicle...

...if your CCW activities requires you to occasionally leave a handgun in a vehicle. BUY AN APPROPRIATE SAFE! I know that leaving a gun under the driver's seat is indeed a very clever hiding place but only against thugs who are already brain-dead.

How are we overlooking that the vehicle was unlocked in the first place?!?

 

[Bat Guano]

Said it before, but here goes: at the very least automakers should offer GOOD locking compartments for guns, cash, credit cards, cameras, etc. instead we get cup holders...

One of my vehicles has a decent sized built-in steel compartment that is somewhat out of sight. I added two cylinder locks to it.

No reason on God's green earth that they couldn't be commonplace.

 

[Ballistic147]

As far as I'm concerned, locked doors be it a vehicle or your home should be considered secured. If the folks running this country would enforce laws already on the books and really punish the scumbags who break them it would be a much better place.

 

[Smoke]

As far as I'm concerned, locked doors be it a vehicle or your home should be considered secured. If the folks running this country would enforce laws already on the books and really punish the scumbags who break them it would be a much better place.

In theory your concept makes perfect sense in reality 25 bucks is cheap insurance against having to replace a 600$ gun

 

[Sgt.Peck]

Here is a Tuffy lock box I bought for my Jeep. It has tabs that you secure between the seat frame and body.