So what's the deal with pawn shops and stolen guns? Story below...

[GeauxLSU]

Well, Dekalb wouldn't accept the BOX as proof of ownership, so yeah, having a BOS tucked away somewhere might be a good thing. I may sell all mine to my friends and buy them back pretty soon...

I'm confused. You reported the gun stolen when it happened correct? What other info do they need that you were the owner?

 

[GeauxLSU]

So, I have 20 years experience with this. I currently own part of two pawn shops. We Pawn Shop FFL holders send a listing of everything we take into the Police. THEY are supposed to run gun numbers. Some departments never do. Newnan PD is completely different than Lagrange PD. Every single department is different. I sold a beretta tomcat 3 different times and pawned it a couple before it was discovered stolen years before the first time it was on my log book.
Under normal circumstances, the record of who brought it to the shop is on file and the police go see that person to determine where he or she got the gun.
I know of several stories where Police have held someone that legally purchased a gun from an FFL holder, for DAYS!
If you don't get a bill of sale print the listing from whatever site or person you buy it from and save it.

Wow! What a cluster. I have never purchased a firearm from a pawn shop and this pretty much seals I never will. Dang!

 

[BanjoJohn]

Wow! What a cluster. I have never purchased a firearm from a pawn shop and this pretty much seals I never will. Dang!

I buy them all the time from Pawn Shops. Tuesday I bought a nice Rem. 700, 243 ADL, blue, Walnut, Redfield 3x9x42 scope, and sling, out the door for $321.00

It's got a few handling marks, but no scratches, rust, or blueing loss.

 

[Squiddley]

My Brother in law had a pistol stolen,then it was recovered by police and released back to him,then after a year or so had a run in with the police,they ran the numbers on the pistol and they came back stolen, so they arrested him for a stolen gun that was stolen from him. They dropped the charges in court after he got a lawyer but he went through a lot of trouble before it was over with.

 

[GeauxLSU]

My Brother in law had a pistol stolen,then it was recovered by police and released back to him,then after a year or so had a run in with the police,they ran the numbers on the pistol and they came back stolen, so they arrested him for a stolen gun that was stolen from him. They dropped the charges in court after he got a lawyer but he went through a lot of trouble before it was over with.

 

[BanjoJohn]

My Brother in law had a pistol stolen,then it was recovered by police and released back to him,then after a year or so had a run in with the police,they ran the numbers on the pistol and they came back stolen, so they arrested him for a stolen gun that was stolen from him. They dropped the charges in court after he got a lawyer but he went through a lot of trouble before it was over with.

No way! Ken Ford says that's ridiculous.

"Just because your gun was used doesn't mean you did it. You won't be arrested just for that.
Under suspicion, questioned, interviewed? Hell yes, arrested with nothing else to go on? Hell no."

 

[Hayata]

My Brother in law had a pistol stolen,then it was recovered by police and released back to him,then after a year or so had a run in with the police,they ran the numbers on the pistol and they came back stolen, so they arrested him for a stolen gun that was stolen from him. They dropped the charges in court after he got a lawyer but he went through a lot of trouble before it was over with.

Dang, what a hassle!

Maybe I should get another hobby!

 

[BanjoJohn]

My Brother in law had a pistol stolen,then it was recovered by police and released back to him,then after a year or so had a run in with the police,they ran the numbers on the pistol and they came back stolen, so they arrested him for a stolen gun that was stolen from him. They dropped the charges in court after he got a lawyer but he went through a lot of trouble before it was over with.

That's because you, Joe Citizen, are guilty, until you can prove your innocence, and spend $$$$$ in a court of law.

 

[baxterday]

In Florida, we got the pawn tickets and ran each and every item to see if it was stolen. However as I recall, It did not release the old owner from having to pay the pawn shop for the money he/she had in it. The pawn dealers association had a really strong lobby in Florida, and helped them get legislation passed to protect them. It's a license to buy stolen merchandise, as long as you don't know it is stolen. Most things pawned in our town were for the person to resupply their crack cocaine stash.

 

[kuduman]

I'm confused. You reported the gun stolen when it happened correct? What other info do they need that you were the owner?

Geaux,

Yes, I reported it stolen from the parking lot where it happened, in 2007. Vehicle damage, three guns, one laptop, one camera. Called in the serial numbers after I got home. We left the guns in the truck because we were going into a restaurant that served alcohol, and that was the stupid law at the time. If I'd realized my partner had left his laptop case visible in the truck, I'd have had him bring it in.

DEKALB wanted proof of purchase to release it, and only for firearms. $10K diamond ring? No problem. $500 Glock-- big problem. But it's Dekalb. They are notorious for taking guns for no reason and making it difficult to recover them. Or were anyway.

I assume if I did not have proof of purchase, I'd not get it back. Which means they believe I filed a false police report, a felony-- and yet I don't think they'd arrest me for that. Basically, don't buy used guns from pawn shops or gun stores if you're going to have them on your person or in your car, and stay out of Dekalb County. I would make an exception if they have the box and so forth.

Still irks me though that on the one hand they act like possession of a stolen gun is a big deal-- yet aren't going to make any effort to track down the ahole that stole it in the first place, and probably pawned it. This would be easy to trace.