Are stolen guns ever returned ???

[40calruler]

That is the catch 22 of not having the guns in a federal data base. Or so we are led to believe they are not. We get some privacy but we have to keep on them to be sure they still know the thief did not have a change of heart and return the gun. That and if found by police they may not share the info with all parties in the data base showing it is stolen so you have to keep telling them "yep still gone". I do not get the blood causing the pitting thing BTW. Blood would have to have been left on the gun for a long long time.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

But there is a federal database of stolen guns isn't there? What do FFLs call when running the number on a gun to determine it's status?

 

[40calruler]

The Firearms Unit provides a service to all Federally Licensed Firearms dealers in the state of Oregon by conducting the Firearms Instant Check backgrounds on persons attempting to purchase a firearm (ORS 166.412). Records of the transactions are kept for five years. This database is exempt from public inspection. The funding for this Unit is based on a current user fee of $10.00 per transaction. The Firearms Unit is open from 8am to 10pm every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas as mandated by law. The unit is also responsible for conducting background checks for private party sales at gun shows.

The Firearms Unit is responsible for processing stolen gun checks against the stolen weapons files in LEDS and NCIC for the dealers and any private citizen requesting this service. There is no fee for processing the stolen gun checks. To check a firearm against the stolen record files, call 1-800-432-5059.

We have recently initiated the Oregon FICS Online System
You can now do transactions through the web
https://xn.osp.state.or.us/Fics/

Important Phone Numbers:


FICS Instant Check (And Stolen Gun Checks) 1-800-432-5059

Local Alternate FICS Instant Check Number (For use when cell phone does not allow an 800 number) 503-585-6245

Challenge/Information line (for denied, delayed transactions or inquiries) 503-373-1808

FICS Unit Manager 503-934-2330

FICS Unit Supervisor 503-934-2364

OSP Firearms Instant Check Fax 503-370-8584

 

[40calruler]

What is great about the above from the government web site is we have access to be able to program that number in our phone and call if doing a private purchase, trade. You can be sure right away if the gun is legit and if the person does not want you to call you can be pretty sure you do not want that gun.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Ok, so basically if I don't call the original PD I reported it to and re-up the stolen status it'll come back as a clean gun? LEDS and NCIC will update it's status? Wonderful system. Feel better about the $10 transfer fee already.

 

[Boomerang]

A beautiful piece melted to nothing since he took the insurance money.

What's the standard procedure when insurance pays for a stolen item and the item is recovered at a later date? Wouldn't the original owner have the option of returning the insurance money and reclaiming their property? Sure, it stands to reason that the insurance company "owns" the property, since they paid, but it was a "forced sale" so to speak. The original owner should have the opportunity to buy it back by returning the insurance money.

 

[40calruler]

What's the standard procedure when insurance pays for a stolen item and the item is recovered at a later date? Wouldn't the original owner have the option of returning the insurance money and reclaiming their property? Sure, it stands to reason that the insurance company "owns" the property, since they paid, but it was a "forced sale" so to speak. The original owner should have the opportunity to buy it back by returning the insurance money.

Standard procedure for insurance is far from something I am familiar with but they tend to be shady I know that. I was pretty young when the gun was stolen. Have only heard what happened second hand so I do not know if there is more he could have done to buy it back or anything. If so I cant imagine he would not have. Once the police are contacting a big insurance company who knows if they can even get the same person on the phone each time they try to figure out what the company wants done. I would be calling over and over but I am not sure if he did that.

 

[Boomerang]

I think it would be like anything, your car is stolen. You insurance totals and gives you cash. If the car is found the insurance company often sells it scrap or used car auctions depending condition. My guess is unless it was destroyed they would resell it.
The idea of a recovery is so they do not lose everything. Its like when you total a car, you do not get to keep the car you wrecked, it now belongs to the insurance company.

Agreed, you can't keep both the car and the money. But what if the car had sentimental value, and you'd rather have your car back than the money? You should have the option of "buying" the car back by returning the insurance money.

 

[40calruler]

I said I do not know much about insurance but what I can say for sure is they are not "looking out" for you. They could care less about your sentimental value as they just want to be done with things. Easier to deal with their auctions that they always do when they have enough things to make for a decent size auction than to go through the paperwork of a private sale back to the person they paid already. That and there are likely companies that just plain do not want to deal with guns as many places are anti gun and would choose to have them destroyed every time.

 

[Flopsweat]

I think it would be like anything, your car is stolen. You insurance totals and gives you cash. If the car is found the insurance company often sells it scrap or used car auctions depending condition. My guess is unless it was destroyed they would resell it.
The idea of a recovery is so they do not lose everything. Its like when you total a car, you do not get to keep the car you wrecked, it now belongs to the insurance company.

When I was in college my hoopty was hit by a guy changing lanes illegally. I submitted a couple of estimates that came to more than the total value of the car. The car was such a POS that my insurance company sent me a check for two or three hundred dollars and told me I could keep the car if I wanted. I banged out the dents and drove it for a couple more years.

 

[spectra]

Yes the insurance company will give you the option of buying your auto back. I am not so sure on a gun though. Probably many hoops to jump through plus the LEO is probably involved also.

 

[telero]

I just recently read on another forum about a guy who had his safe stolen a couple years ago. He said the insurance company only paid 20% of the gun values, but that if they were recovered he didn't have to repay the money. A few of the items (maybe 3 or 4) have been recovered, the most recent was one of his machine guns. I don't believe they've been returned yet as they are still evidence, but it sounds like the PD is planning on returning them when they can.

 

[MountainBear]

I had a little Taurus revolver stolen out of my apartment while at gunsmithing school in Denver. No sign of forced entry, two guns missing (mine and one from my roommate). They rifled through several custom guns to take a $250 Taurus 17HM2 revolver. Okay. Filed the proper reports and wrote it off. Lesson learned. You have a safe. Use it.
Fast forward three years. Get a call from a PD in suburban Denver area. We located your guns. Asked where. They said a maintenance man from the apartment complex had tried to pawn them. When they questioned him, he said he had "found" them in a field near the apartment complex. I guess it never occurred to him to check on two guns he "found". Yeah, right. But with no evidence, they had to let him go. I guess him in possession of stolen items, and having keys to the apartment that (with no sign of forced entry) the guns had been stolen from was all circumstantial.
So to make a long story, well, only a bit longer, the PD there actually shipped them to my local sheriff's department where I was able to go pick up my gun. When I got it back, it was disassembled. Apparently the thief, err, maintenance man, disassembled it and stored it in a ziplock back in his toilet tank. Yeah, cause that's not suspicious.

So the gun came home, it was able to be reassembled, and was sent down the road. So I got my gun back, but can't help feeling that lady justice and I got hoodwinked...

 

[40calruler]

I had a little Taurus revolver stolen out of my apartment while at gunsmithing school in Denver. No sign of forced entry, two guns missing (mine and one from my roommate). They rifled through several custom guns to take a $250 Taurus 17HM2 revolver. Okay. Filed the proper reports and wrote it off. Lesson learned. You have a safe. Use it.
Fast forward three years. Get a call from a PD in suburban Denver area. We located your guns. Asked where. They said a maintenance man from the apartment complex had tried to pawn them. When they questioned him, he said he had "found" them in a field near the apartment complex. I guess it never occurred to him to check on two guns he "found". Yeah, right. But with no evidence, they had to let him go. I guess him in possession of stolen items, and having keys to the apartment that (with no sign of forced entry) the guns had been stolen from was all circumstantial.
So to make a long story, well, only a bit longer, the PD there actually shipped them to my local sheriff's department where I was able to go pick up my gun. When I got it back, it was disassembled. Apparently the thief, err, maintenance man, disassembled it and stored it in a ziplock back in his toilet tank. Yeah, cause that's not suspicious.

So the gun came home, it was able to be reassembled, and was sent down the road. So I got my gun back, but can't help feeling that lady justice and I got hoodwinked...

Uhhhhh...Seriously? They did not find all of that including him having them in the toilet to be enough....No forced entry, guy who had them had the key to your place. He "found them in a field by your place" as if the people who stole them would have done so to just drop them off in the field. When it comes to the law I really do not get how some of these guys are not seen as guilty. That to me is open and closed on the guy. Now likely to do something like that again since he had no consequences. I still do not get the idea of what gun he took as you said there was a few higher end guns in there. Maybe he thought that one was not going to be noticed as much? Who knows how jerks like that think. Who takes apart a revolver and leaves it like that? Sounds like the maintenance man was on drugs or should be on prescription drugs cause he is not thinking very clear. Also why do they not ask "why are you wondering around the field?" that would be one of my first questions and I am sure his answer would have been a interesting tale.

 

[broncman]

Do you need to keep re-upping your stolen gun? I had a pistol stolen about 10 years ago and occasionally the PD I reported it to would send me a form I needed to sign to renew it. Really? In this day and age they need to have the victim remind them, "oh yeah, it was still stolen 10 years ago" If I don't do this will it no longer be considered a stolen gun and can be bought and sold through FFLs with no flags?

I believe National Crime Information Center (NCIC) requires the entering agency to confirm the firearm is in fact still stolen and has not been found by or returned to the reporting party.

Shoot I'd say 15 years ago I had a Tangfolio 9mm stolen out of my car in Tigard. I get a letter every year from the Tigard PD asking if said firearm is still missing and hasn't been recovered. I get the same feeling that if I don't fill out the form and send it back that it will no longer be reported as stolen and I would be S.O.L. if it did turn up. I am waiting for the phone call stating it has been recovered but won't hold my breath, but get that reminder of it every year.

 

[wayoutwest]

I cant say for sure, as I dont work for OSP/NCIC/LEDS...I have hard time believing you have to "reup" the stolen status of an item yearly, only because I ran a serial number for a rifle recently and had a near hit to a 12g shotgun..out of Chicago that was reported stolen almost 30 years ago.

 

[wayoutwest]

But now a question on how recovered guns are returned?

So the gun is recovered, into evidence, owner is located. Can the Police/Sheriff just ship it directly back to the owner of the gun, or to an FFL for a transfer. Do they need to follow Federal Laws for shipping on handguns/long guns? in state or out of state rules? I assume they need to confirm that the original owner (victim) is still legal to this gun.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Shoot I'd say 15 years ago I had a Tangfolio 9mm stolen out of my car in Tigard. I get a letter every year from the Tigard PD asking if said firearm is still missing and hasn't been recovered. I get the same feeling that if I don't fill out the form and send it back that it will no longer be reported as stolen and I would be S.O.L. if it did turn up. I am waiting for the phone call stating it has been recovered but won't hold my breath, but get that reminder of it every year.

Exactly. Does anyone know if you DON'T re-up the stolen status if it comes back as a dirty/stolen/or as a clean gun? Hate to think of some punk selling the gun he stole from me and the pawn shop/FFL/whatever buying it because I didn't keep up on the paperwork.

 

[40calruler]

But now a question on how recovered guns are returned?

So the gun is recovered, into evidence, owner is located. Can the Police/Sheriff just ship it directly back to the owner of the gun, or to an FFL for a transfer. Do they need to follow Federal Laws for shipping on handguns/long guns? in state or out of state rules? I assume they need to confirm that the original owner (victim) is still legal to this gun.

I did not have a gun stolen but rather traded a legit gun for a stolen one and since the owner had been paid by insurance the insurance said they did not want it. The officer let me pick it up after filling out a basic background check at the evidence lockup since I could prove I had legitimately acquired it....Not sure what happened to the guy that traded it to me as they took his info and went to him after seeing his ID number and signature on the bill of sale. Whatever insurance company that was did not care what happened to it so had I not had that it would have been melted down.

 

[PDXSparky]

I just recently read on another forum about a guy who had his safe stolen a couple years ago. He said the insurance company only paid 20% of the gun values, but that if they were recovered he didn't have to repay the money. A few of the items (maybe 3 or 4) have been recovered, the most recent was one of his machine guns. I don't believe they've been returned yet as they are still evidence, but it sounds like the PD is planning on returning them when they can.

If you are referring to one of the regulars on Uzitalk, then a few more details: his guns were FA transferable weapons and I think he lost at least one suppressor as well. Lots of $ to loose to scumbag thieves.