Guys, come on.
Some of you might have had bad dealings with police officers taking your property, or using throw downs after unjustifiable shootings. I am not denying that these things do occur, but the vast majority of police officers are honest and would have little to no interest in this gun. Those who would use throw downs will not get such a gun from the desk sergeant at the station. A dirty cop doesn't have to wait until a citizen turns in a found handgun to obtain a throw down gun. A reciept has been obtained on this gun, and photographs of it have been taken. Using this gun as a throw down would be stupid.
How could this gun have been involved recently in a crime? First, it could be stolen. Theft of firearms is a crime. Guns don't sprout from the dirt like weeds. It was tossed there for some reason. Second, fully functioning new firearms are not necessary to intimidate most people in strong arm robberies and rapes. Such crimes have been sucessfully committed with toy guns. Don't fool yourself into thinking that it takes a gun that will function to commit a crime.
How can it be used to connect crimes? The gun is reported stolen in a burglary in a neighboring county. There may be an unsolved rape or robbery involving a similar gun near the scene where the gun was found. Suddenly the scope of the rape/robbery investigation widens and clues from the burglary plus clues from the rape/robbery bag the criminal. Don't think that it can't happen. Police connect crimes of differing natures to catch criminals every day.
Sometimes folks are too quick to condemn the police. The finder of this revolver has photographs of it, as well as a reciept from the local police. He has stated his desire to have it returned to him when it is cleared. Unless the criminal is nice enough to jot down the serial number of his gun for his victim, serial numbers do not clear guns from crimes. A serial number can only show that the gun has been reported as stolen, that is all, and that is assuming the rightful owner recorded the serial.
Lets not paint the police with a wide brush dipped into our own prejudice. If they fail to return the gun, have at it with the specific parties involved, but please refrain from broad sweeping statements that have no merit. That being said, I do think the finder of the gun needs to stay in touch with the police and make certain they know he hasn't forgotten or given up on the gun.
