S&W revolver stolen 44 years ago returned to owner.

[Jinglebob]

How often does this happen? Not very often I would guess.

A S&W .38 snubby, manufactured in 1955, was stolen 44 years ago. The Conroe, Texas police recently found the gun while executing a search warrant on a home. Conroe police Sgt. Brent Stowe returned it to the daughter of the original owner. It was still in the original box with the original paperwork.

Stolen .38 Special returned 44 years later - Your Houston News: News

 

[DR505]

Wow...nice.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

WOW , What a story. Good police work for sure.

 

[Old TexMex]

It's a model 38. Nice.
No, wait- a 49 kinda rusty.

 

[fat tom]

I had a Model 14 stolen from me that was recovered by the sheriff's office of a neighboring county and returned to me after 20+ years. It was much the worse for wear. Sold it.
f.t.

 

[timn8er]

This a cool story & I'm glad you posted it. I just hope that Colby Bruce sees it. Maybe it'll give him some hope.

 

[crsides]

April 1955. still in the box. hmmm

that date does ring a bell.

Charlie

 

[palabman]

If that revolver could only talk, it would be interesting to find out what it's been up to for all these years!

 

[venomballistics]

If that revolver could only talk, it would be interesting to find out what it's been up to for all these years!

Given the condition that it was recovered in .... professional dust collection would be my guess.

 

[charlie sherrill]

I once found one that had been stolen 19 years ago. It was a Ruger and had a .22 long rifle cylinder. The victim still had the same phone number. I called him and told him I had his gun. He said he still had the .22 magnum cylinder for the gun. He came and picked it up a couple of days later. It's amazing there was still any records for a gun stolen 44 years ago.

 

[4011]

Salute to Sgt. Stowe. He went above what most would do.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

Decades ago I discovered my Ruger Single six missing so me and my dad went to the Sheriff's assuming my sister's ex boyfriend took it. The Sheriff said "Wait one moment." then went in back coming out with the gun. It was found on the boyfriend who used it to shoot up a Jack in the Box when the place was closed. We took it home right then but I forgot what happened to the punk.

 

[JayAychOh]

When I was still a detective in Northeast Texas about 1997 I once recovered a Colt 1911 (NOT at 1911A1) that turned out to have been stolen in a vehicle burglary in Los Angeles County California in 1969. The owner was still living and, I if I remember correctly, still lived at the same address. Working with LASO, we got him reunited with his pistol after 28 years.

 

[shouldazagged]

I love this kind of story.

 

[Texas Star]

Noted that the story described the theft of both whiskey and Scotch from the store. Guess the other whiskey was bourbon. American blended? Canadian? Reporters often mess up on details.

Gun is a Bodyguard, made then only in the M-38 Airweight version, I think. I'm not really sure when the gun came out, and that date of April, 1955 is awfully close. I wouldn't be surprised if the date was derived from the instructions with the gun, copyrighted then, but not descriptive of when this particular gun was made.

I'll get out a copy of an S&W book and see just when the M-38 came put. The steel M-49 arrived several years later.

I'm glad that the lady got her dad's gun back. Pity that the owner didn't live to see it returned. I hate thieves.

 

[H Richard]

I have a friend that had a handgun stolen 15 or so years ago, and he receives a phone cal from the local police dept every year inquiring if it has ever shown up, and that they still have it actively listed as stolen.

 

[GaryS]

It would probably lawyer up.

If that revolver could only talk, it would be interesting to find out what it's been up to for all these years!

 

[wrhk33]

I had a pistol stolen once. My renters insurance paid me for the loss. When it was found by the police I told the insurance company. They wanted to know if I wanted it back, I said no and they were not surprised.
When it was found it was missing some custom wood grips and scope.
At that point I didn't want to have to pay back the claim money.

 

[pawncop]

The oldest one I have recovered was a model 15 with gold plated trigger, cylinder release, and ejector rod from Topeka, Kansas. It had been gone for around 25 years.