My Ruger Blackhawk is back

gwpercle · Oct 6, 2015

Twenty years ago an old model Ruger Blackhawk was stolen from me. Every so often the Sheriff's Department would call and verify if it was still missing. Every time they called I would get my hopes up and then the officer would say , no but we are still looking.
Today I got the call, like always, BUT...this time the Deputy told me they HAD recovered it and he was bringing it over to my office. He just left, much to my amazement it looked as good as the day it was stolen.
Somebody didn't shoot it much and took care of it. No rust, no damage, just some holster wear on the barrel that was already on it. I bought it used, in 1971 for $75.00 , from Granberry's Gunshop on Lupine St. in Baton Rouge, then in 1995 it was stolen , and in 2015 it was recovered from a pawnshop in Tucson Arizona and now I have it back in my possession ....what a story!

A big thank you to East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Department and all the fine Deputies that put thier lives on the line for us each day.....SALUTE !

Anybody else got a recovery story to tell, would love to hear it !
I would post photo, but camera went home with my office manager. she can post it tomorrow.
I'm photo post illiterate .
Gary

cajun 22 · Oct 6, 2015

WOW! It's great to hear a recovery story like that. Congrats and enjoy your old friend.

usmc-nav · Oct 6, 2015

Excellent news, almost unbelievable. Kudos to law enforcement !

Blue Diamond · Oct 6, 2015

I had 2 guns stolen years ago and I got one back 2 years later and the other 11 years later. They were not just handed over to me. It was a supreme hasle to get them released and back in my possession. The first was not too bad I just had to wait a month for the D.A. to release to the sheriff and then for the sheriff to do the full ballistic testing on the firearm so they would have copies of the bullets for past and future comparison. The second was a nightmare because they had found out the property was insured and that State Farm was the new owner. Not me. I called State Farm and told them what happened and that I wanted to buy it back from them. They were all for it because they did not want anything to do with it for liability reasons. I had to go to a gun dealer and get a written quote as to what the approx. value was and they would sell it back to me for that . That done we headed to the sheriffs office and he claimed the gun, I handed him a check and he handed me the gun. Sounds simple but it took about 2 months to get info and negotiations. And the sheriff did ballistics on that firearm also before it was released. So if u get a pistol back from the sheriff be careful of where u put your bullets. P.S. I paid $169 when I bought the last gun. State farm paid me $650 for the gun/holster/ammo stolen because of large price increase. Bought the gun back for $75.

gwpercle · Oct 7, 2015

Blue Diamond said:
I had 2 guns stolen years ago and I got one back 2 years later and the other 11 years later. They were not just handed over to me. It was a supreme hasle to get them released and back in my possession. The first was not too bad I just had to wait a month for the D.A. to release to the sheriff and then for the sheriff to do the full ballistic testing on the firearm so they would have copies of the bullets for past and future comparison. The second was a nightmare because they had found out the property was insured and that State Farm was the new owner. Not me. I called State Farm and told them what happened and that I wanted to buy it back from them. They were all for it because they did not want anything to do with it for liability reasons. I had to go to a gun dealer and get a written quote as to what the approx. value was and they would sell it back to me for that . That done we headed to the sheriffs office and he claimed the gun, I handed him a check and he handed me the gun. Sounds simple but it took about 2 months to get info and negotiations. And the sheriff did ballistics on that firearm also before it was released. So if u get a pistol back from the sheriff be careful of where u put your bullets. P.S. I paid $169 when I bought the last gun. State farm paid me $650 for the gun/holster/ammo stolen because of large price increase. Bought the gun back for $75.

All of this took place in Baton Rouge, La. ? What an ordeal. The Sherriff's Officer who recovered my gun , called my house, left a message (I was at the office) then called my office, I answered, talked to him and within the next 30 minutes he brought it to me, at my office (I didn't even have to go get it), I signed one form, showing I had received it and that was that. No ballistics testing, no hassel whatsoever , He didn't even ask to see a photo ID. The only thing I can figure is mine was recovered from a pawn shop and not used in or involved in a crime. Maybe that made the difference.
Even though you had to go through a song and dance , glad to hear you at least did get it back. If State Farm paid a claim of $650 and sold it back to you for $75, that at least was a plus. Getting $575 out of the deal at least makes it a little better.

Gary

mike84z28 · Oct 7, 2015

Great story, glad you were able to get your property back. Seems like the Sherriff's office did a fine job.

Cleburne · Oct 7, 2015

Congratulations! I had a Colt New Frontier .22 sixgun stolen years ago. My name was even engraved on the backstrap. You'd think that would discourage its theft but 'no'.Tried to report it at the time but the law enforcement office I called wasn't interested enough to take down the information. I'm very glad to hear your story had a happy ending.

gwpercle · Oct 8, 2015

Cleburne, sorry about your loss. It's a sad day when the law enforcement officers won't let you report a theft.
Not being interested is just not very much of an excuse to not let citizens report a crime. Just exactly how did he expect you to file an insurance claim, or to have proof it was stolen from you. If used in a crime you will need to show it had been stolen and reported. Where did this take place ?

Cleburne · Oct 8, 2015

gwpercle said:
Cleburne, sorry about your loss. It's a sad day when the law enforcement officers won't let you report a theft.
Not being interested is just not very much of an excuse to not let citizens report a crime. Just exactly how did he expect you to file an insurance claim, or to have proof it was stolen from you. If used in a crime you will need to show it had been stolen and reported. Where did this take place ?

It happened in the 80's. The gun was holstered and packed inside a knapsack on the passenger side floorboard of my car. It took place at one of two locations. Early that morning I stopped for gas in Bayou Blue on the outskirts of Houma, and suspect it may have been taken when I got out to pay (I had no gas cards back then). I foolishly left the door unlocked. I didn't check my knapsack when I returned to the car, and the only other place it would have happened was in the Baton Rouge area. My family and I went to visit the state capital that day and it could have been taken while the car was alone in a parking lot. At any rate, no sense crying over it, but I did learn an important lesson. I wrote the information on a card, including the gun's serial number and dates I tried to report the theft. Thanks for your concern.

Kraut · Oct 9, 2015

Blue Diamond said:
I had 2 guns stolen years ago and I got one back 2 years later and the other 11 years later. They were not just handed over to me. It was a supreme hasle to get them released and back in my possession. The first was not too bad I just had to wait a month for the D.A. to release to the sheriff and then for the sheriff to do the full ballistic testing on the firearm so they would have copies of the bullets for past and future comparison. The second was a nightmare because they had found out the property was insured and that State Farm was the new owner. Not me. I called State Farm and told them what happened and that I wanted to buy it back from them. They were all for it because they did not want anything to do with it for liability reasons. I had to go to a gun dealer and get a written quote as to what the approx. value was and they would sell it back to me for that . That done we headed to the sheriffs office and he claimed the gun, I handed him a check and he handed me the gun. Sounds simple but it took about 2 months to get info and negotiations. And the sheriff did ballistics on that firearm also before it was released. So if u get a pistol back from the sheriff be careful of where u put your bullets. P.S. I paid $169 when I bought the last gun. State farm paid me $650 for the gun/holster/ammo stolen because of large price increase. Bought the gun back for $75.

THE INSURANCE LOOPHOLE! People buying guns from insurance companies with no background checks, we must put a stop to this! That deputy should be fired for participating in this evidence room-to-street pipeline! Call your legislators, folks, we can't be having this!

Magdump · May 4, 2016

Had a beretta 92 stolen from me about 15 years ago. BR sherif dept actually called me about 6 years ago and got my hopes up, but it was just to update contact info.

gwpercle · May 5, 2016

Magdump said:
Had a beretta 92 stolen from me about 15 years ago. BR sherif dept actually called me about 6 years ago and got my hopes up, but it was just to update contact info.

Keep them updated as to your contact info. I got mine back after 20 years !
You just never know...always a chance .
Gary

Magdump · May 6, 2016

gwpercle said:
Keep them updated as to your contact info. I got mine back after 20 years !
You just never know...always a chance .
Gary

Will do! Thanks

My Ruger Blackhawk is back

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