Laws requiring theft report

[ArmedBear]

There is a push to require gun owners to report the theft of a firearm within X days or face charges.

It just lost in California, but surely others will try to do the same thing again, and in other places.

What's interesting is that I don't think the laws require one to report the gun "recovered," just "stolen."

So what's to keep me from reporting ALL of my guns stolen, then, if I'm ever found with one, saying, "Oops. I recovered it"?

Seems like the best plan, in places with these laws.

 

[Henry Bowman]

So what's to keep me from reporting ALL of my guns stolen, then, if I'm ever found with one, saying, "Oops. I recovered it"?

Mainly that filing a false police report is also a crime. Other than that, nothing.

 

[carpettbaggerr]

Why wouldn't you want to report a stolen gun?

 

[Third_Rail]

Not so much that you wouldn't want to, but that if you don't report it within X days you're breaking the law. So if I'm on vacation for X+7 days, and they get stolen on the second day of my vacation.....

 

[mbt2001]

Punish the victims....

That is the "Brave New World" that we live in.

 

[leadcounsel]

This is an example of legislation that is just simply unnecessary. People have enough incentive to honestly and promptly report stolen guns as is.

A legal gun owner, having his gun stolen, should want to immediately dissassociate himself with that gun as quickly as possible under any circumstances.


No need for legislation.

 

[strambo]

"No need for legislation"...hasn't been a need for legislation in probably 40 years. Problem is we pay our legislators handsomely and they feel a need to legislate in order to earn said pay. Coming up with new ideas to protect the masses from themselves gets votes.

I'd vote for a guy (or gal) who said he vowed not to intruduce or support any new law except those that abolish current useless laws. If there is no "stupid law abolition" bill going around, and he can't introduce one, he can vacation for all I care.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

So if I'm on vacation for X+7 days, and they get stolen on the second day of my vacation.....

Generally they are worded that you must report them within X number of days after you discover the theft.

 

[Lupinus]

I think it is stupid.

Should you report a stolen gun? Yes.

But it is also my property and should be my choice if I want to tell the cops that a piece of my property has been stolen.

 

[Henry Bowman]

Should you report a stolen gun? Yes.

But it is also my property and should be my choice if I want to tell the cops that a piece of my property has been stolen.

The problem is that society places a stigma on firearms as being something so inherently dangerous (like a wild tiger) that we have to bear an extra burden if we partake in such behavior [of keeping and bearing arms]. It is a long and uphill battle to change this perception,. One that we must continue to fight, often against fellow gun owners.

 

[Lupinus]

I understand there is a stigma

But fighting and saying it is wrong is the only way to remove it

 

[michaelbane]

Reviving this thread

Our city Council Member addressed our civic meeting this week. He extols lost/stolen reporting requirements as a way of holding straw purchasers responsible.

I have to admit his argument makes sense to me, at least on the surface. If someone truly is a straw purchaser, what's to stop him/her from claiming later the gun was stolen when it turns up at a crime scene?