Finding a handgun in the bathroom

[FortKnox]

The past couple of months people from Police to Secret Service to armed citizens have made the news for leaving loaded handguns in public bathrooms so my question to you is what would you do if you found a handgun in the bathroom?

For me it depends on the gun. Either I'm keeping it or saling it at a gun or pawn shop for a profit. My thinking is if you leave a loaded gun where anyone can find it you deserve to lose it. ;) Edited June 18, 2015 by FortKnox

[2.ooohhh]

I would make a concerted effort to return it to it's rightful owner, likely by posting it somewhere such as TGO. Until the time at which it was successfully claimed I would likely keep it in the safe.

 

For all you know it was dumped due to use in a recent crime/reported stolen so I certainly wouldn't try to pawn it.

Edited June 18, 2015 by 2.ooohhh

[Caster]

Uhh, that's great till someone reports it stolen and you sell it.
Possession is 9 tenths of the law.

[dralarms]

Me? I'd unload it, turn it in to the cops and let the person explain why they left their gun. I got plenty and don't want something that belongs to someone else.

[Wiljo05]

I don't agree with keeping it or selling it as it does not belong to me. To me that's theft. Just like if my wallet fell out of my pocket in the same restroom and someone chose to take the cash or cards or for that matter anything out of it. That is theft also. Regardless of why it's there, I would personally feel responsible for ensuring it doesn't fall into the wrong hands and do my best to get it back to the owner. Whether the police return it to them or the building security or whoever.

Bottom line is I didn't work for it, someone else did. If I take it I'm stealing...

[Monkeyman2500]

Me? I'd unload it, turn it in to the cops and let the person explain why they left their gun. I got plenty and don't want something that belongs to someone else.

Correct answer.

[Joe357]

If I found it in a rest room or anywhere for that matter I would call the local police and ask if they want to come and pick it up or would they want me to bring it to the station.

Keeping it or selling it IMO is not a valid option.

[gregintenn]

The past couple of months people from Police to Secret Service to armed citizens have made the news for leaving loaded handguns in public bathrooms so my question to you is what would you do if you found a handgun in the bathroom?

For me it depends on the gun. Either I'm keeping it or saling it at a gun or pawn shop for a profit. My thinking is if you leave a loaded gun where anyone can find it you deserve to lose it.

What if you found it in a drawer in someone's home? Perhaps they'd stepped out for a bit.

 

What's the difference? It ain't yours!

[2.ooohhh]

I guess a great deal of my answer has to do with my employment, if I found it at the local gas station or out in public where it's legal to have sure turn it right in to the police, if it's where I work where it's against policy and questionable if it's even legal to possess on the hospital grounds and we have staff only bathrooms/locker rooms I wouldn't want a coworker to get fired if I could help it and I'd hope someone would do the same for me. Also reporting finding a pistol in the OR locker room is the fastest way I can think of to make stupid new rules be implemented such as requiring the VUPD to actually see why I beep when I walk through the metal detector at the entrance to the ED.

[xjsnake]

Me? I'd unload it, turn it in to the cops and let the person explain why they left their gun. I got plenty and don't want something that belongs to someone else.

This. A hundred times this...

[FortKnox]

I'm half joking and half serious but, I just can't excuse someone who leaves a loaded gun in the bathroom. It's not like your wallet or keys, which I would turn in but, something that can cause serious trouble if found by the wrong person.

[xjsnake]

I'm half joking and half serious but, I just can't excuse someone who leaves a loaded gun in the bathroom. It's not like your wallet or keys, which I would turn in but, something that can cause serious trouble if found by the wrong person.

There is no excuse for their behavior.

 

However, we as responsible gun owners have a duty to make sure the firearm is made safe and turned into the proper authorities because we have ZERO idea what the gun in the bathroom might have been used for.

 

Will that gun probably be destroyed? Yes, however IMHO that's better than walking off with a firearm that has been used in a crime and can now be used to incriminate me for something I wasn't involved in.

[dralarms]

I guess a great deal of my answer has to do with my employment, if I found it at the local gas station or out in public where it's legal to have sure turn it right in to the police, if it's where I work where it's against policy and questionable if it's even legal to possess on the hospital grounds and we have staff only bathrooms/locker rooms I wouldn't want a coworker to get fired if I could help it and I'd hope someone would do the same for me. Also reporting finding a pistol in the OR locker room is the fastest way I can think of to make stupid new rules be implemented such as requiring the VUPD to actually see why I beep when I walk through the metal detector at the entrance to the ED.

That had not occured to me. Ifi was in a non public setting, I'd figure out who owned it pretty quick, they'd be the person with a real worried look on their face.

[dralarms]

I guess a great deal of my answer has to do with my employment, if I found it at the local gas station or out in public where it's legal to have sure turn it right in to the police, if it's where I work where it's against policy and questionable if it's even legal to possess on the hospital grounds and we have staff only bathrooms/locker rooms I wouldn't want a coworker to get fired if I could help it and I'd hope someone would do the same for me. Also reporting finding a pistol in the OR locker room is the fastest way I can think of to make stupid new rules be implemented such as requiring the VUPD to actually see why I beep when I walk through the metal detector at the entrance to the ED.

That had not occured to me. Ifi was in a non public setting, I'd figure out who owned it pretty quick, they'd be the person with a real worried look on their face.

[Jonnin]

I would try to find the owner but they would have to know the serial #.   If not, finder's keepers...

[dralarms]

I would try to find the owner but they would have to know the serial #.   If not, finder's keepers...

Still not yours. I can find my sn but don't know it off the top of my head.

[Jonnin]

Still not yours. I can find my sn but don't know it off the top of my head.

 

well I would not expect you to!   I would likely post an untraceable message in the bathroom or a person who handles lost and found...

"interesting item found in men's bathroom.  If you lost something contact  unknownperson1234@gmail.com...  describing the item perfectly to claim it."   Convinced as to the owner, I would happily return it. 

 

Im not going to give it to the front desk or lost and found ... stuff of *value* gets looted by employees.

Im not going to the police -- they alternate by department for keeping guns and never returning them or freaking out over it.

The only person I trust to handle the situation is myself, actually.

Edited June 18, 2015 by Jonnin

[dralarms]

Well, we will just have to agree to disagree. I don't want the responsibility of tracking down a random person in a public place.

[Oh Shoot]

It seems pretty simple to me, or maybe I just am. I might hang around with it for a few min, just to see if person shows up and can tell me zactly what it is, but if not:

 

- call cops, they'll almost certainly pick it up

- tell whoever's in charge of store that's where it went so can tell owner if he comes back and looks for it

- unload and keep ammo as finder's fee :)

 

- OS

Edited June 18, 2015 by Oh Shoot

[Jonnin]

Well, we will just have to agree to disagree. I don't want the responsibility of tracking down a random person in a public place.

yea, to each their own.   If they convinced me of ownership, I view returning it as no more risky than a sale/trade type deal, with the same safety precautions.   It would  be a hassle to meet up but a minor one, well worth it.   I know if it was mine Id rather just have it handed back to me  than go thru 1000 questions down at the police station or whatever else might be involved, so and that is how I would make it for the other guy if I found one.

[TNWNGR]

Me? I'd unload it, turn it in to the cops and let the person explain why they left their gun. I got plenty and don't want something that belongs to someone else.

I'd secure the scene, make certain the police were contacted and let them recover the gun and make it safe. I wouldn't handle it at all to avoid smearing any prints or leaving my own on it.

As to worry about a friend or coworker leaving it in a hospital or other banned location? That's not your problem. Your problem is following work policy and properly reporting the found gun. Wouldn't you do the same for a wallet or purse with I'd inside? A cell phone, I-Pad, laptop computer? It's somebody else's property, let them do the explaining.

[cgun86]

I guess it depends on the gun. A quality firearm gets returned, junk like Jimenez and Llama gets flushed down the toilet.

[teecro]

Cut it in half with a blow torch and put it on display with the owners name in bold lettering..... If you can't keep track of your gun then you should not carry one.....

[10-Ring]

I couldn't keep it, I would hate to involve the police and a possible bad media frenzy, leaving it would not be an option for me. But there is only one of those options that would allow me to lay down that night and easily drift off to sleep.
Some may think believe that they would be entitled to it for finding it, I'm just not comfortable with that personally and our looks like I'm in good company here. Man this place is cool.

[nightrunner]

Keeping it is absolutely out of the question. Not only do you have the fact that it isn't yours and it's purely stealing, but also the possibility that it may be stolen or have been used in a crime. I probably wouldn't even touch it and get my prints on it. No way in this world I would keep it though.