Another Stolen Pistol Recovered

[Knox Al]

Back in 2009 may home was broken into and three pistols stolen, a Glock 34, Glock 27 and a Walther P22. Of course I had the police investigate and supplied then the serial numbers of the three pistols. I have several copies, both paper and electronic, of all the firearms with serial numbers I own. 

 

The Glock 34 was recovered in Chicago in 2010. After the convicted felon that possessed it pleaded out, the police there shipped it to Knoxville police and they returned it to me.

 

I got a call Saturday from an officer with  the Kingsport Police Department asking about the Walther P22 I reported stolen in 2009.  Here is what the officer told me. They had a gun show in Kingsport recently and Craig's Firearms had a table there with my Walther on it for sale. A guy wanted to buy it and it came up as stolen when the background check was ran. This was reported to the police and they confiscated the gun. He needed to confirm my birthdate and address to complete his report. I asked him how a gun shop could have a gun without knowing it was stolen. He didn't know.

 

He gave me the name and number of the guy in the property division to make arrangements to pick up the gun from.  I'll call later today and get the details.    Maybe I'll get the Glock 27 back too at some point.                                               

[dralarms]

That's great.

[Garufa]

Good to hear.

 

BTW,  is the Craig's Firearms you mentioned the same "Craig's Firearms and Police Supply" out of Knoxville? 

[hipower]

In my experience, this happens all too rarely. Very glad at least now 2 have been returned to you.

[VERO1]

I don't believe gunshops have to run the serial #'s of guns they buy. I know pawnshops have to turn over serial #'s and item descriptions of pawn or purchase items to le on a daily basis I believe.

[Glock30]

Sounds like the FFL took it in trade from someone.... I thought most FFLs ran serial numbers on potential trade ins against a stolen firearm database?

 

Edit: Congrats on the recovery, OP!

Edited November 12, 2014 by Glock30

[Knox Al]

Good to hear.

 

BTW,  is the Craig's Firearms you mentioned the same "Craig's Firearms and Police Supply" out of Knoxville? 

I asked the same question and the officer said it was.

[Knox Al]

I don't believe gunshops have to run the serial #'s of guns they buy. I know pawnshops have to turn over serial #'s and item descriptions of pawn or purchase items to le on a daily basis I believe.

I figured the same but it would make good business sense to do it. Now they are out whatever they gave for the Walther.

[hardknox00001]

Wow, not one but two back, that's great.  I'm still holding out hope for my Colt that was stolen in Atlanta back in 2010.

[bersaguy]

I'm glad your able to recover two so far and hope the 3rd one shows up soon. I am still holding out for 17 guns taken from my home in 1987 and not one has turned up anywhere. I am still hoping since gun popularity has been on the rise that they will begin turning up. Cheatham County Sheriffs office has all the numbers and makes and brands of the guns and they update the report monthly to keep the numbers active. Grand son is a deputy for them which helps.

Edited November 12, 2014 by bersaguy

[wileecoyote]

A gun dealer can buy a gun or take a gun in trade from a customer without running a check on the gun to see if it's stolen. So it happens more often than not that they don't run the check, especially if they are getting the gun cheap. In my opinion it's crazy for them not to check, though, because they will lose the gun if it later turns up stolen at point of sale in a traditional transaction.

But then I've also seen more than a few dealers trade such guns to other dealers or even sell them for cash, or trade them to friends "off the books", without running any checks or doing any paperwork, which they can sometimes get away with because the gun was never logged anywhere in their records to begin with. Obviously this is against FFL regulations, and it could come back to haunt them if the gun is later used in a crime and traced back to them somewhere in the chain of custody, but greed (or the desire to remain off paper) does funny things to some folks.

[Patton]

A gun dealer can buy a gun or take a gun in trade from a customer without running a check on the gun to see if it's stolen. So it happens more often than not that they don't run the check, especially if they are getting the gun cheap. In my opinion it's crazy for them not to check, though, because they will lose the gun if it later turns up stolen at point of sale in a traditional transaction.

Yes, another scenario I have seen is the gun being reported stolen after the FFL acquires it. Obviously not the case here, but somepeople may take weeks, months or even a year before reporting a gun stolen. We took a report on a stolen handgun one time that took a year for the lady to find the serial number.

Another case happened when a guy bought a Sig through a pawnshop and later returned to pawn it. When he went to get it out of pawn it had been reported stolen with a lengthy time gap. It was not in the system when it was sold to the guy the first time.

[Knox Al]

I'm glad your able to recover two so far and hope the 3rd one shows up soon. I am still holding out for 17 guns taken from my home in 1987 and not one has turned up anywhere. I am still hoping since gun popularity has been on the rise that they will begin turning up. Cheatham County Sheriffs office has all the numbers and makes and brands of the guns and they update the report monthly to keep the numbers active. Grand son is a deputy for them which helps.

I haven't done anything since I got the initial report straightened out. I took a couple of times to get the correct numbers in the system. They were fat fingered on two of them, so they have been active in the NCIC system since then. 

[Guest livefreeordie1]

Some guys stole my dad's entire gun safe about 4 years ago while we were all on vacation.  The safe turned up on the side of a back road in southern KY and the top had been cut off with a torch.  There were a number of long guns in it and 4 handguns.  He's since received one of the handguns back.  Nashville police have another in their possession, once that case is resolved he should get it back.  Hopefully they'll continue to trickle back in.  There was a beautiful Beretta shotgun in there that is sorely missed.

[Grayfox54]

True story: My Father-in-law was the head of security for a local grocery store chain. One day back in the late 1970s this guy walks in, grabs a cart and starts shopping. Looks just like any other customer. FIL walks past him and the guy spins around and knocks FIL out cold, takes his S&W Model 10, then procedes to rob the place. BG had obviously done his homework. he knew exactly who to hit and where the cash was kept. 

Some 20+ years later FIL gets a call from a buddy in the Sheriff's Dept. " We've got your gun. Want it back?"

[tnhawk]

Congrats on the recovery.

[runco]

I wish my 5+ Russian SKS would show up from where my shop was burglarized in 1995.  None so far.  Also, any gun I took in on trade or bought out right, I always got a bill of sale when I was in the business.

 

Good to hear about yours.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Runco

[Erik88]

I'm amazed you got 1 back let alone 2. I can't imagine what kind of crazy underground network allowed that gun to make it up to Chicago. 

[Schadenfreude]

Had a browning high power stolen - never thought I'd see it again - 5 years later someone tried to pawn it, finish is a little rough but still shoots well.

[Grand Torino]

Two out of three....what are the odds? Congratulations on your recoveries. :up:

[Jonnin]

the blasted stolen gun database should be free to use and public accessible.  

[Moped]

I wish someone would to find my stolen Norinco 1911a1 and my Browning Hi-Power that were stolen back in 2005!!!

[Patton]

the blasted stolen gun database should be free to use and public accessible.

I once thought that too; however, not everyone is honest. The same reason that you can not search a serial number from you home is the same reason police or dealers will not search a serial number unless it is in their hand. I have seen first hand that people want to know if a gun is stolen but they are not willing to surrender it if it is stolen. Some people will resale, hide deep in a sock drawer, or throw it in a lake to avoid being asked questions on a gun they know is stolen. The police and dealers recover a lot more stolen guns through checks than honest people inquiring.

[alingo2001]

What's the policy on this with insurance if you are paid for a claim and then now you have recovered two of the guns?

[dralarms]

The guns belong to tge insurance company. But they don't want them, probably buy them for dirt.