Criminals stealing hundreds of guns from cars

[jefftk]

Criminals Getting Hundreds Of Firearms From Legal Gun Owners | FOX2now.com

ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI)– It`s easy for criminals to get guns. You might be surprised at who`s supplying many of them. Investigative reporter Chris Hayes broke down the staggering numbers of guns stolen from parked cars.
(Click on our map of locations where criminals are stealing guns from cars.)
Many criminals are beginning to expect to find a gun in a car. They might break your window just to see if you have a firearm under your seat. The criminals are finding them, hundreds of them.

Saint Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson told me, ‘It has a direct impact and correlation to the crime we have.’
Dotson says he respects your right to bear arms, but wants you to remember the places that don`t allow them. He said, ‘You can`t take your gun into a sports event with more than 5,000 people. So don`t bring it with you and leave it in the car, churches, shopping malls, theatres.’

It appears some people forget they`re carrying. That`s how TSA agents explain dozens of guns they discover every week in airports. Just last week the TSA said it discovered 57 passengers with firearms. Agents documented 47 of the firearms were loaded.

People who leave guns in their cars may be trying to do the right thing, by keeping them out of businesses that prohibit them. Whatever the reason, criminals have it figured out where there`s plenty of supply.

Part of the solution may be gun lockboxes. You can find them for as low as $35 and they can be bolted in your car or secured by a locked cable.

Force people to disarm AND leave their guns unattended in a public place - brilliant.

Yet another unintended consequence of "gun free zones"....

 

[Wrench75]

That's why mu lockbox is bolted through the floor of my truck to a piece of 1/4 in steel I installed above my transmission. Cant get the box out without opening it and can't get to the steel plate without lowering the transmission.

You gotta wonder how many of the people who had their guns "stolen" just heard what has been happening and decided it would be a good way to have some off the books guns.

 

[MaverickNH]

If we just had enhanced background checks, we wouldn't have this problem...

How about combination parking meter/gun safe units? If you go overtime, your gun is up for grabs.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

If we just had enhanced background checks, we wouldn't have this problem...

How about combination parking meter/gun safe units? If you go overtime, your gun is up for grabs.

Nothing a sawsall wouldn't defeat, they'd be cutting them off the posts in broad daylight.

 

[Duece]

Screw all the put it away and lock it up stuff.

make carrying anywhere legal, then people will not have to "legally" lock them up so they are out of their control

 

[Zappa]

How about putting a sign in your window that says "No Gun In Car", like the "No Radio In Car" signs that were popular in the 80' and 90's.

 

[jefftk]

How about putting a sign in your window that says "No Gun In Car", like the "No Radio In Car" signs that were popular in the 80' and 90's.

Keep a stack of NRA stickers in your car to put on the other cars near you.

 

[Scarecrow]

Screw all the put it away and lock it up stuff.

make carrying anywhere legal, then people will not have to "legally" lock them up so they are out of their control

YOU! CITIZEN! CEASE WITH YOUR LOGICAL THINKING!

 

[Duece]

No sh!t huh? Common sense not required by the sheeple today

YOU! CITIZEN! CEASE WITH YOUR LOGICAL THINKING!

 

[je25ff]

Lies, I store my firearm locked in a case.

 

[WallHack]

Lies, I store my firearm locked in a case.

I'd go one step further than this and CARRY it locked in a case, but Galco doesn't make a holster for a S&W handgun case.

Oh well, guess I'll carry it condition one.

 

[Terminator03]

Keep a stack of NRA stickers in your car to put on the other cars near you.

Yep, create distraction to keep your gat safe, I love it!

I don't know about everyone else, but regardless of signage, if they aren't wanding me at the door, concealed means concealed, so I don't have that risk. I do have a cabled lock box in the event of an unexpected situation (like a place that has metal detectors/wands) though.

 

[thinair]

That's why mu lockbox is bolted through the floor of my truck to a piece of 1/4 in steel I installed above my transmission. Cant get the box out without opening it and can't get to the steel plate without lowering the transmission.

You gotta wonder how many of the people who had their guns "stolen" just heard what has been happening and decided it would be a good way to have some off the books guns.

True, but what are the potential consequences if your gun is stolen from your car, despite being locked up in accordance with the law? I have little faith that there would be no consequences in MA as it would seem like an excellent opportunity to disarm a law abiding citizen.

 

[MisterHappy]

It could be welded to the frame, and you'd still be the bad guy.

 

[AntiHippie]

True, but what are the potential consequences if your gun is stolen from your car, despite being locked up in accordance with the law? I have little faith that there would be no consequences in MA as it would seem like an excellent opportunity to disarm a law abiding citizen.

In MA, yeah, probably consequences.

Out here in OR, couple co-workers had their trucks broken into while they were surfing just south of the border, in Baja Oregon. (Real CA doesn't start until at least Eureka). Sheriff told them next time keep their even their backpacks out of sight and the tweakers might just move on to someone else's rigs. As far as the handguns, they were advised to see if their renter's or homeowner's insurance would cover them, since their auto insurance almost certainly wouldn't. Said they probably wouldn't see them again, but if they were lucky and they popped up somewhere and were taken into evidence it might be a few weeks to a few months until they got them back, however long it took someone to plead out of whatever they were charged with and be released on probation.

 

[jaypap]

Or carry concealed, don't ask don't tell.

 

[Orion2k]

Sounds like they are implying that the problem is the people who are obeying the laws and not the people that are breaking the laws.

 

[Garys]

Sounds like they are implying that the problem is the people who are obeying the laws and not the people that are breaking the laws.

Implying? The only way that the message could be louder was if they screamed it.

MA aside, even if I lived in a place where it was legal and common to keep firearms in a car without being locked, I wouldn't. My guns are too valuable to just leave lying around. In fact, I'm going on a trip out of state and one of the things I'm bringing with me is a Minivault and cable so I can lock them in the rental car if I go to a place where I can't carry.

 

[BrianK]

How about putting a sign in your window that says "No Gun In Car", like the "No Radio In Car" signs that were popular in the 80' and 90's.

In Boston, more than one of those got a broken window and a "get one" grafitto.

 

[GBH2]

Instead of blaming the victims the police could try something radical like CATCHING these roving bands of criminals smashing peoples car windows and stealing their guns! Police - "Wow, your car was broken into - Sucks to be you. You shouldn't have been driving a car or had valuable stuff in it. Now I have to fill out all these stupid police reports, thanks a lot."