Beware of buying used guns . Read my nightmare!

[wpeteman]

A yesr ago I bought a used shot gun from a local pawn shop. Paid $800.00 hard earned dollars .At the time it was a alot but I had to have the gun and I had been looking for one and came upon it by chance and bought it. My lucky day...... I thought. Last week I answered a call from a Detective and he ask if I had bought the shot gun and still had it .Yes I did why? He said he was sitting outside my house and needed to pick up the gun as it was reported stolen. I was at work so I made an appointment to meet with him on another day. In the meantime I am trying to understand how this can happen. I bought from a licensed business paid for the gun had all the checks done before I left the shop etc. Looks like I am out $800.00 and the gun. I always tell people that its safe to buy from a local dealer but I found out its not.Anyone been through this ? Any advice welcome especially from legal experts.Thank You Wayne 2064840753 Text or call

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[The Heretic]

I am given to understand that WA state doesn't have a good methodology/system to check whether guns are stolen when they do BGCs/etc.?

I recall someone posting about a similar experience in the Seattle area where they had to give up a handgun some time after they had bought it from a dealer?

You might check into whether you can go to small claims court to recover your $ from the pawn shop - or not.

 

[JSJPDX]

In December I bought a gun out of Alabama on Gunbroker. When it got to my dealer it wouldn't pass the check as it had been reported stolen out of Alabama. Local sheriff picked it up while it was all sorted out. The pawn shop in Alabama had done checks there before selling it but Oregon caught it. Turns out the PD there couldn't come up with a victim so they released the hold and second time around it passed muster and the gun was released to me. It took three months to get everything straightened out but I have it now.

Hang in there, you may still get your shotgun back. If not, the seller should make it right.

 

[wpeteman]

I am given to understand that WA state doesn't have a good methodology/system to check whether guns are stolen when they do BGCs/etc.?

I recall someone posting about a similar experience in the Seattle area where they had to give up a handgun some time after they had bought it from a dealer?

You might check into whether you can go to small claims court to recover your $ from the pawn shop - or not.

In December I bought a gun out of Alabama on Gunbroker. When it got to my dealer it wouldn't pass the check as it had been reported stolen out of Alabama. Local sheriff picked it up while it was all sorted out. The pawn shop in Alabama had done checks there before selling it but Oregon caught it. Turns out the PD there couldn't come up with a victim so they released the hold and second time around it passed muster and the gun was released to me. It took three months to get everything straightened out but I have it now.

Hang in there, you may still get your shotgun back. If not, the seller should make it right.

Thanks

 

[RVTECH]

I know of a PS in Bend several years ago that had to give up a gun THEY bought/traded etc from a person that turned out to be stolen yet it initially passed the 'litmus' test when they took it in.

Who knows, nothing is perfect.

 

[The Heretic]

I am guessing the problem is that the systems for reporting/tracking stolen guns are not robust - probably not kept up to date, especially when it is a matter of sharing the data between different jurisdictions.

 

[Switchblade666]

Here's a question.... How to check without going through Law Enforcement channels? Always wondered about this happening. Heard horror stories about checking through Law Enforcement and never getting the Pew back. Just crossed my mind seeing this post.

 

[arakboss]

A yesr ago I bought a used shot gun from a local pawn shop. Paid $800.00 hard earned dollars .At the time it was a alot but I had to have the gun and I had been looking for one and came upon it by chance and bought it. My lucky day...... I thought. Last week I answered a call from a Detective and he ask if I had bought the shot gun and still had it .Yes I did why? He said he was sitting outside my house and needed to pick up the gun as it was reported stolen. I was at work so I made an appointment to meet with him on another day. In the meantime I am trying to understand how this can happen. I bought from a licensed business paid for the gun had all the checks done before I left the shop etc. Looks like I am out $800.00 and the gun. I always tell people that its safe to buy from a local dealer but I found out its not.Anyone been through this ? Any advice welcome especially from legal experts.Thank You Wayne 2064840753 Text or call

File a dispute with credit card company.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

Maybe it's just me, but a phone call from 'someone sitting outside my house' had better be backed up with some paperwork and accompanied by some PoPo in uniform, not just a detective that is probably in a suit

 

[RX-79G]

Is there any association at all between the background check system and a database of stolen firearms? Is there a national database of stolen firearms?

Otherwise this is no different than sending your bought-used Rolex in for service and finding out then that it was reported stolen.

 

[arakboss]

How does "victim" prove firearm was stolen?

 

[RVTECH]

I always tell people that its safe to buy from a local dealer but I found out its not.

Well a NEW gun from a dealer would never be an issue but bring the 'used' element into it and there will undoubtedly be the possibility of something 'slipping through the cracks'

Unfortunate, and hopefully rare but inevitable.

 

[The Heretic]

Is there any association at all between the background check system and a database of stolen firearms? Is there a national database of stolen firearms?

Otherwise this is no different than sending your bought-used Rolex in for service and finding out then that it was reported stolen.

In Oregon, supposedly, the OSP checks their system for whether the firearm is stolen during a BGC.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

File a dispute with credit card company.

Maybe talk to the pawn shop first and give them the option of refunding the money and if not contact the CC. Charge backs reflect poorly on vendors and they might me motivated to make things right to avoid the hit from the CC compony

 

[The Heretic]

How does "victim" prove firearm was stolen?

Of course they report the firearm stolen - which is a good reason to have an inventory with at least the make/model and serial number - if for no other reason than for an insurance claim.

 

[RVTECH]

Maybe talk to the pawn shop first and give them the option of refunding the money

Or offer to pick out another gun/item(s) etc.

 

[Tilos]

A yesr ago I bought a used shot gun from a local pawn shop. Paid $800.00 hard earned dollars .At the time it was a alot but I had to have the gun and I had been looking for one and came upon it by chance and bought it. My lucky day...... I thought. Last week I answered a call from a Detective and he ask if I had bought the shot gun and still had it .Yes I did why? He said he was sitting outside my house and needed to pick up the gun as it was reported stolen. I was at work so I made an appointment to meet with him on another day. In the meantime I am trying to understand how this can happen. I bought from a licensed business paid for the gun had all the checks done before I left the shop etc. Looks like I am out $800.00 and the gun. I always tell people that its safe to buy from a local dealer but I found out its not. Anyone been through this ? Any advice welcome especially from legal experts. Thank You Wayne 2064840753 Text or call

I would think if you have the receipt with the serial number, you could go back to that local pawn shop and get a refund or an explanation for what has happened, at the least.

That, and ask that Detective why HE is tracking that particular gun.
"Yes, I did why" was the wrong answer (jmo).

I would never allow that Detective to just "pick up" the gun without further explanation of his legal right to do that.
If you do make that appointment to meet, do it in somewhere else, not your home or the police department.
You mentioned you bought the gun at a local pawn shop, maybe meet that detective at the Pawn Shop where you bought it, as they should have the gun in there books.

I understand that anyone can report any gun stolen with a description and serial number, without any proof of ownership.
Doing that, and getting someone with the legal ability to track that "reported stolen" gun from the factory/distributor/FFL/original purchaser and beyond, could lead to you!

Never post a pic of any gun with it's serial number visible, ever.
Good luck on your quest to keep the gun.
jmo,
.

 

[RVTECH]

I would never allow that Detective to just "pick up" without further explanation of his legal right to do that.

This might not be a good idea and could result in a 'visit' from more LEOs rolling up.

maybe meet that detective at the Pawn Shop where you bought it,

Probably a more pragmatic idea but I suspect the gun will still leave with the LEO.

 

[RustyNail]

Man that's messed up. Are there any FFL's here that can weigh in on the subject?? There HAS to be differences between OR and WA. My buddy Troy owns TJ guns in McMinnville. I know Oregon does stolen checks on guns but it seems WA may not.

 

[arakboss]

Of course they report the firearm stolen - which is a good reason to have an inventory with at least the make/model and serial number - if for no other reason than for an insurance claim.

I am thinking a person could sell a bunch of firearms to some dirtbag for big bucks (no ffl) and then later on report them as stolen. Does the "victim" need to offer proof firearms were stolen?