Stolen gun??

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  • Tonyaav

    Tony
    Rating - 100%
    15   0   0
    Jan 25, 2013
    451
    43
    Natchitoches ( outside of )
    I have always dealt with “ legit “ ( loosely ) people. Do bills of sale etc.
    So I have never had to verify if a gun may or may not be stolen.
    I can’t believe I can’t find out unless caught with it!!
    Sheriff and state police just told me the same thing. Wth.
    I just want to know if a gun has ever been reported stolen and I can’t find out. Well just wow!
    Someone please tell me there is a way!
    Do members keep a list anywhere here from known thefts?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited:

    Bigchillin83

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 100%
    94   0   1
    Feb 27, 2012
    6,187
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    Livingston
    i got a buddy at jims i used to call and he would check them real quick... havent done it in a while, give them a call and see what they can do
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
    Rating - 100%
    163   0   0
    Dec 31, 2013
    9,396
    113
    Hammond, Louisiana
    If I’m not mistaken, running the serial on a gun that comes up as reported stolen sends a flag which then would demand an explanation. That’s what I was told by law enforcement some years ago anyway.
     

    Tonyaav

    Tony
    Rating - 100%
    15   0   0
    Jan 25, 2013
    451
    43
    Natchitoches ( outside of )
    @magdump that would cause a set of issues for a gun shop / Leo doing you a favor. That’s just blows for lack of better expression.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    Bigchillin83

    Well-Known Member
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    94   0   1
    Feb 27, 2012
    6,187
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    Livingston
    If I’m not mistaken, running the serial on a gun that comes up as reported stolen sends a flag which then would demand an explanation. That’s what I was told by law enforcement some years ago anyway.

    that is true... thats why some LE buddys cant do it casue then they gotta explain it...
     

    John_

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    21   0   0
    Nov 23, 2013
    3,451
    113
    Hammond, LA
    I have always dealt with * legit * ( loosely ) people. Do bills of sale etc.
    So I have never had to verify if a gun may or may not be stolen.
    I can’t believe I can’t find out unless caught with it!!
    Sheriff and state police just told me the same thing. Wth.
    I just want to know if a gun has ever been reported stolen and I can’t find out. Well just wow!
    Someone please tell me there is a way!
    Do members keep a list anywhere here from known thefts?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    This is exactly what you are looking for. I discovered it a few years ago and kept a bookmark of it. You can run the SN on the website below.

    https://www.hotgunz.com/
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
    Rating - 100%
    163   0   0
    Dec 31, 2013
    9,396
    113
    Hammond, Louisiana
    I’ve run into the ‘might be reported stolen’ deal a couple of times over the years. Both times were family members (one ex wife) that were selling firearms that apparently weren’t theirs to sell. I was given the explanation that one may have been reported stolen by the spouse although it was a gift to the person attempting to sell it. The other was a family inheritance dispute. I declined both deals. I’m not going to invest money in a potential future problem.
    It does suck that you can’t just run a gunfax like you can check the vin on a car, but it’s to help insure recovery. And being the victim of a gun theft years ago, I’d like to have that pistol returned, so I support whatever means that law enforcement deems appropriate.
    I was told once years ago that if you fear you own a stolen firearm, one sure way to find out if it’s reported stolen is to attempt to pawn it. Not sure how much water that holds in these times.
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
    Rating - 100%
    163   0   0
    Dec 31, 2013
    9,396
    113
    Hammond, Louisiana
    This is exactly what you are looking for. I discovered it a few years ago and kept a bookmark of it. You can run the SN on the website below.

    https://www.hotgunz.com/

    So I’m assuming all the data is from private citizens and does not come from any law enforcement agency? If so, I think it’s a cool concept but would rely completely on every victim reporting the theft to this site and I’m thinking the results currently don’t add up to more than a very small percentage of lost or stolen firearms.
     

    John_

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    21   0   0
    Nov 23, 2013
    3,451
    113
    Hammond, LA
    So I’m assuming all the data is from private citizens and does not come from any law enforcement agency? If so, I think it’s a cool concept but would rely completely on every victim reporting the theft to this site and I’m thinking the results currently don’t add up to more than a very small percentage of lost or stolen firearms.

    You shouldn't assume anything. It's a really poor strategy in life. Deal in facts.
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
    Rating - 100%
    163   0   0
    Dec 31, 2013
    9,396
    113
    Hammond, Louisiana
    You shouldn't assume anything. It's a really poor strategy in life. Deal in facts.
    I’m asking John. Where does the info on the site come from? Is it like I assumed or is there input from any other source? Since the only information I see states the info is user submitted I’m left to assume there is no input from any law enforcement agency. There are far worse strategies in life than coming to conclusions based on the facts that you have and assuming the rest.
     
    Last edited:

    John_

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    21   0   0
    Nov 23, 2013
    3,451
    113
    Hammond, LA
    You would think you could go to your local police department and they would run a firearm serial number for you, to see if it is indeed reported stolen. I've seen them do this on Live PD tv program (in a traffic stop, or a gun found in a search) and it takes all of a couple minutes. The FBI or some sort of national database they access. Maybe they will do this for you? Some of our members here are active LE, is this possible if you went to the local PD office/building? Just take the SN written on a piece of paper, not walk in with the weapon.
     

    John_

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    21   0   0
    Nov 23, 2013
    3,451
    113
    Hammond, LA
    I’m asking John. Where does the info on the site come from? Is it like I assumed or is there input from any other source? Since the only information I see states the info is user submitted I’m left to assume there is no input from any law enforcement agency. There are far worse strategies in life than coming to conclusions based on the facts that you have and assuming the rest.

    It states in their FAQ page it is a user database, but also:

    "Can my Law Enforcement Department enter firearms on behalf of our gun-theft victims?

    Absolutely"

    Also from that page:

    "Is this website linked to NCIC?

    No, our database only contains firearms that have been reported to us as being stolen using the Report Stolen Firearm link at the top of the page. These results may include firearms entered by certain law enforcement agencies on behalf of their gun-theft victims. Just because a serial number is not in our database does not necessarily guarantee that the firearm is not stolen; it simply means that no one has reported this serial number to us. The only way to be 100% sure is to contact your local police department and request that they run the serial number in question through NCIC."

    The FAQ page: https://www.hotgunz.com/faq.php#Q6
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
    Rating - 100%
    163   0   0
    Dec 31, 2013
    9,396
    113
    Hammond, Louisiana
    You would think you could go to your local police department and they would run a firearm serial number for you, to see if it is indeed reported stolen. I've seen them do this on Live PD tv program (in a traffic stop, or a gun found in a search) and it takes all of a couple minutes. The FBI or some sort of national database they access. Maybe they will do this for you? Some of our members here are active LE, is this possible if you went to the local PD office/building? Just take the SN written on a piece of paper, not walk in with the weapon.
    It would be nice to have that info freely available, but as stated, if the gun does indeed come up as reported stolen, they’re gonna want to know who’s asking and anonymity does not assist them in investigations.

    I wonder if any LEO’s routinely enter serial numbers into their system.
     
    Last edited:

    thperez1972

    ESSAYONS
    Staff member
    Gold Member
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 28, 2015
    5,710
    113
    Baton Rouge, LA
    If I’m not mistaken, running the serial on a gun that comes up as reported stolen sends a flag which then would demand an explanation. That’s what I was told by law enforcement some years ago anyway.

    All searches are logged. But I've never seen any flags that require an explanation. I've gotten calls from people regarding a person/car/gun that I've entered in the system as missing/wanted/stolen but the system itself has never alerted me. The caller got my information from the hit that pops up. And I've gotten hits on people/cars/guns as missing/stolen/wanted and have never had anyone contact me for an explanation as to why I performed the search.
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
    Rating - 100%
    163   0   0
    Dec 31, 2013
    9,396
    113
    Hammond, Louisiana
    All searches are logged. But I've never seen any flags that require an explanation. I've gotten calls from people regarding a person/car/gun that I've entered in the system as missing/wanted/stolen but the system itself has never alerted me. The caller got my information from the hit that pops up. And I've gotten hits on people/cars/guns as missing/stolen/wanted and have never had anyone contact me for an explanation as to why I performed the search.
    So, you’re saying that when a LEO runs a check on a firearm and it comes back as reported stolen, there’s no follow up from anyone? Nobody contacts the person who ran the check on said firearm to investigate?
    I’m thinking you may have taken my generic use of ‘flag’ and ‘Explanation’ as something more specific.
    I’ll try again, it’s my understanding that running a firearm through the system that comes back as reported stolen would trigger someone to investigate the check. Are you saying that this not the case at all?
     
    Last edited:

    ozarkpugs

    Well-Known Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 7, 2018
    454
    18
    US Zanoni mo
    I'm sure it is handled different in every precinct / department . Every time I have gotten a firearm checked I was advised that if it came back stolen I would have to emedently turn it in and give a statement as to where I got it . That would seem to be not only reasonable but the law. After all if it comes back stolen then I will be knowingly in possession of a stolen firearm and if the friendly officer allowed that then he would be incompetent to say the least .

    Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk
     

    John_

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    21   0   0
    Nov 23, 2013
    3,451
    113
    Hammond, LA
    I’m asking John. Where does the info on the site come from? Is it like I assumed or is there input from any other source? Since the only information I see states the info is user submitted I’m left to assume there is no input from any law enforcement agency. There are far worse strategies in life than coming to conclusions based on the facts that you have and assuming the rest.

    Mag, I owe you an apology. I sounded just like some other arrogant *rick who frequents here last night. My apology to you.
     

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