What happens if your gun is stolen?
- Thread starter Nimitz87
- Start date
pezo im looking for serious answeres please. 
again i'll reinerate what im asking.... if i have a gun and it is stolen and then used in a crime unbeknown to me its stolen...what happens to me?
scenario 2
again my gun is stolen used in a crime BUT i report the firearm stolen...what happens to me?
Chad
again i'll reinerate what im asking.... if i have a gun and it is stolen and then used in a crime unbeknown to me its stolen...what happens to me?
scenario 2
again my gun is stolen used in a crime BUT i report the firearm stolen...what happens to me?
Chad
Swamp Yankee
New member
Been through the theft of firearms. Not pretty.
Fortunately the stolen guns were not used in a crime. They were recovered in a few days when the police caught the theives. (My next door neighbor's son and a fellow junior achiever) The bad news, I had to wait 3 months to get my guns back as they were held as evidence, but they were eventually returned.
The most important thing you can do is obviously report the theft to the police. Make sure you have the serial numbers, sales receipts and photos, all will help to identify your guns. Though I'm not an attorney, I'm quite sure you have no liability once the guns are reported as stolen. Ask for and keep a copy of the police report. The firearms should be listed.
The real fun comes when you start dealing with the insurance company. All I can say is be sure you have plenty of documentation that you possessed the guns, and as to what was their value. If you have any particularly rare items it helps to have an appraisal.
One last word of advice, check with your insurance company before something happens as to what your policy will cover. There are limits on most policies as to the amount they will pay for firearms both individually and total claim without a seperate rider.
Don't know if this helps at all. I truly hope you never go through the experience.
Take Care
Fortunately the stolen guns were not used in a crime. They were recovered in a few days when the police caught the theives. (My next door neighbor's son and a fellow junior achiever) The bad news, I had to wait 3 months to get my guns back as they were held as evidence, but they were eventually returned.
The most important thing you can do is obviously report the theft to the police. Make sure you have the serial numbers, sales receipts and photos, all will help to identify your guns. Though I'm not an attorney, I'm quite sure you have no liability once the guns are reported as stolen. Ask for and keep a copy of the police report. The firearms should be listed.
The real fun comes when you start dealing with the insurance company. All I can say is be sure you have plenty of documentation that you possessed the guns, and as to what was their value. If you have any particularly rare items it helps to have an appraisal.
One last word of advice, check with your insurance company before something happens as to what your policy will cover. There are limits on most policies as to the amount they will pay for firearms both individually and total claim without a seperate rider.
Don't know if this helps at all. I truly hope you never go through the experience.
Take Care
Sir William
New member
Not much. Really. If your car is stolen and used as the getaway car in a bank robbery, you have 0 liability if anyone is killed in a police pursuit. This applies even if you are not aware of the car theft. If your firearms are stolen from a gunsmith, you have 0 liability if they later turn up in the hand of a murderer. This also applies even if the murderer used your firearm. There are those who have firearms at vacation homes and their barns, they are not aware of a burglary and firearms theft at once. "Officer, I was here in dove season and I haven't had any reason to look at my shotgun until you called." Typical response. People go on vacation and leave their CCW at home. If someone has to go out of town for a tractor or parts, often firearms are left in a pick-up and sometimes in plain sight in a gunrack. When you realise a firearm is missing, call your friends and family first. When noone has borrowed it, report it as stolen. A report might be made or in some jurisdictions a DIY form might be mailed to you and some places do the report by telephone. Insurance is iffy. Oftentimes a rider must be bought to insure firearms. Homeowners does not cover much, NRA members loss insurance is not worth much either in my experience due to the reporting window of opportunity. A neighbour had his safe stolen. When the numbbrains couldn't open it, they dumped it in a lake. Three months later when the numbbrains were caught, they confessed where they dumped the safe. Three months in a lake didn't improve the value of the firearms. If a firearm is recovered through simply being found or a pawn shop detail finding it, you will get your firearm back quickly. Condition? Depends on who is running property/evidence lockup. Electric engraving, scratched in ID numbers/case numbers and the ammunition might not be returned. A firearms owner should be fine if their firearms are stolen. The police don't usually go out of their way to recover firearms in my experience. If they trip over them, you will be contacted. If you move and leave no forwarding address, there won't be a CSI-Miami effort to find you with GPS. LOL
Capt. Charlie
Moderator Emeritus
Sir William pretty much hit it on the head. Most of the guns we recover are from druggies that were packing or involved burglary rings. If you've reported it stolen, the only thing you'll get is a phone call or letter telling you they've been recovered. Not reported and traced back to you? You can expect some questions, but not much more than that (unless the answers don't jive 
). It amazes me how many people don't even know the make or model of their guns, let alone the serial numbers. Without those, we can't enter them into NCIC, which means that if they're recovered in another jurisdiction, you'll never see them again. They're labeled "unknown owner" and into the melting pot they go (no flaming, please! 
That's the court's order and not the dept's). How long it takes to get them back depends on the court case. If the guy pleads guilty, you could get them back in a week or two. If he fights it and has a good lawyer, it could drag on for years.
). It amazes me how many people don't even know the make or model of their guns, let alone the serial numbers. Without those, we can't enter them into NCIC, which means that if they're recovered in another jurisdiction, you'll never see them again. They're labeled "unknown owner" and into the melting pot they go (no flaming, please! That's the court's order and not the dept's). How long it takes to get them back depends on the court case. If the guy pleads guilty, you could get them back in a week or two. If he fights it and has a good lawyer, it could drag on for years.Mark in California
Inactive
Had a Colt Gold Cup stolen in the 1980's. Reported it to the police. Have been waiting since then for it to turn up. Have not heard a word since. Still waiting.