Still keeping your handgun in your vehicle overnight? Think again. It is also worth giving a second thought to leaving the keys inside your unlocked vehicle.
A Peachtree City officer on June 17 was dispatched to a Sandown Drive residence off McIntosh Trail in reference to a theft.
“Upon arrival, I met with the complainant who stated his firearm was stolen from his vehicle,” the police report said.
Peachtree City Police Department spokesman Chris Hyatt said the .45-caliber handgun was stolen from the vehicle which was not locked.
In another stolen firearm case, a Peachtree City officer on June 22 was dispatched to a residence on Pine Point off South Peachtree Parkway in reference to an entering auto.
The officer was told that the vehicle had been entered and a firearm stolen from the center console sometime between June 18-22, the police report said.
When it comes to vehicle thefts, it is always a good idea not to leave the keys in an unlocked vehicle.
Sheriff Barry Babb said deputies on June 23 responded to a residence on Ga. Highway 92 South in reference to a vehicle theft.
The owner of the vehicle said theft of the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado occurred overnight, telling deputies that the keys were in the truck, which was not locked, Babb noted.
In another case, Grace Evangelical Church on Flat Creek Trail in central Fayette was the site of the theft of multiple types of construction equipment from a storage trailer and the theft of a second storage trailer.
Deputies on June 17 were told that a construction storage trailer had the lock cut and a number of items stolen. Those included four air hammers, a pressure washer, a generator, two grinders and a drill, Babb said.
Babb said video showed the storage trailer being entered at 3 a.m.
Also at the scene, Babb said the pastor reported that another storage trailer had been stolen.
Here’s the thing, each year over 500K firearms are stolen from their owners, with more than half categorized as handguns. A bit surprising is that 30% of guns ending up at a crime scene were actually stolen. You would think perhaps more? But not in the good ol’ US of A where you have additional means of laying out cash and just lying on your background check. Does anyone ever really get prosecuted for lying? Or perhaps skip the background checks line all together and seek out the illegal market trade (~100K) – of which firearms dealers are associated with about half of these sales. So you see it’s not too hard to get a gun illegally, but the stolen ones are definitely cheaper.
And speaking of the stolen variety of concern here, 40% (nationally) were not reported by their owners – until the police contacted them to inform them that their gun was used in a crime. So I’m guessing is what you see reported here by the Citizen locally are the 60% that gave disclosure (?). Hmm, probably not, more like 70-80% are showing “some” responsibility compared to the national average. But make no mistake, they too go out and replace their “misplaced” – stolen firearm with relative ease adding to the continuing problem of firearms that end up in the wrong hands.
With regards to the two reckless and irresponsible clowns who left firearms in their unlocked vehickes – CHARGE THEM AS WELL – for GROSS NEGLIGENCE and STUPIDITY! YOU are every bit as much a part of the SCOURGE OF CRIME which you claim that you are defending yourselves against! FOOLS! 😡 🤬 🤯
Dawn, something we can agree upon.
I think a Darwin Award is in order. Provide the criminal a tool to cause your own demise! Brilliant!
Honestly, I had no idea there were so many guns stolen out of vehicles – unlocked vehicles no less.
Different, but related – I’ve always wondered how people forget they have guns in their baggage at the airport? I mean yeah, I’m forgetful, but I’d like to think I wouldn’t forget where I left my gun. I guess it’s the law of averages.
Another gun on the street courtesy of a responsible gun owner.