I had a revolver, belt, holster, and 25 rounds of ammo stolen out of my car in East Helena, Montana in the early 80's. It was recovered when someone tried to sell it to a pawn shop in Denver a few weeks later, and was shipped from the recovering LE agency in Denver to the local municipal PD where I picked it up. I had to pay something like five bucks for postage or shipping, but no other hoops or red tape. The ammo is the only thing that I didn't get back.
Of course, we're talking thirty years ago too...