Why do people leave firearms in vehicles?

[mjfletcher]

Theres a world of difference between knowingly leaving a firearm (or any other valuable) unsecured and accidentally doing it. The first is irresponsible, the second is human.

The only way I could see putting any fault on the victim is if he knew he left the vehicle unlocked with his gun in it, but as there is no way for me to know that I'll assume it was an accidental oversight.

If it was done knowingly, the only fault on him is irresponsible storage.

Regardless of whether it was intentional or accidental, it doesn't change the fact that the man was still a victim of crime, and he is not at fault for the decision of someone else to break into his car (yes, its a breakin whether doors are locked or not). He is not at fault for the theft.

[str8shooter]

I hope no one seriously thinks this guy would falsely report his gun stolen because he thinks the National Guard may come collecting someday, or worse, is actually entertaining the idea. Imagine the shitstorm that would happen if someone thought they were outsmarting the system by reporting a gun stolen, and then some day they need to sell the gun, want to pass it down to a child, or they die an untimely death and the family finds a buried stash of guns which are in the legal database of reported stolen guns.

If anyone really thinks the day will come when we'd be forced to surrender our arms, it would be far better to wait until then and say all your guns were lost in a flood, rather than report them stolen now and then be in possession of a reportedly stolen guns.

[ReefBlue]

I worry about leaving sunglasses in my car sometimes.

I would never leave a gun in my truck.

[LittleRedToyota]

i don't think there should be any penalties for having a gun stolen from your car or that you should be held legally responsible for anything that someone else does with the gun.

but...

imho, unneccessarily* leaving a gun in a car is generally not a very good idea...to say the least.

putting it in a lockbox is certainly a good idea, but won't do much good if the entire vehicle is stolen.

(*of course, if you have to run an errand into a gun free zone or something, for example, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.)

i can certainly understand why LEOs get frustrated with people who leave valuables in their cars.

[Siobhra]

This is another reason to do away with 'Gun-Free' zones. I have gone out to my car many times and found it unlocked. I had left a door unlocked and did not notice it. Each time I am thankful I had not left my gun in the car. But when I have to go into a gun free zone I am always worried if I locked the car.

[Falcon118]

Rep sent to GL and Pa. Pat. Very nicely said GL and I completely agree Pa

[Robert Kayland]

Originally Posted by str8shooter

I hope no one seriously thinks this guy would falsely report his gun stolen because he thinks the National Guard may come collecting someday, or worse, is actually entertaining the idea. Imagine the shitstorm that would happen if someone thought they were outsmarting the system by reporting a gun stolen, and then some day they need to sell the gun, want to pass it down to a child, or they die an untimely death and the family finds a buried stash of guns which are in the legal database of reported stolen guns.

If anyone really thinks the day will come when we'd be forced to surrender our arms, it would be far better to wait until then and say all your guns were lost in a flood, rather than report them stolen now and then be in possession of a reportedly stolen guns.

Shitstorm? Easiest thing in the world to explain. A gun reported lost or stolen can subsequently be reported found again, even many, many years later. "Gee, officer, I'm really, really sorry, I thought it was stolen, but it must have just been misplaced... when I was looking through the closets today, there it was! My wife must have moved it on me... heh, heh. I was on my way to report it recovered as soon as the station opened in the morning!"

This isn't that hard to imagine. And a lot safer scenario than trying to claim your guns were lost or stolen the day before the feds come looking for them... an eventuality even the least paranoid gun owner could imagine.

Obviously it's all speculation and "what if" for the sake of entertaining conversation... but it sounds more logical to me than the "left a loaded gun in the car overnight unlocked" story... convenient that there needn't be a broken window for the gun to have been "stolen".

That being said, if it was me, I'd always go with the lost story, rather than stolen.

But like I said before, it could very well be the fellow was a bonehead and careless... all I'm saying now is, that wouldn't be my first guess.

[NineseveN]

Originally Posted by Pa. Patriot

I think it usually involves not realizing the vehicle is left unlocked.

Yep, my dad had a smith snubbie stolen earlier this year for this very reason.

[jmanzini]

Originally Posted by Dredly

I gotta admit I'm very surprised by a lot of the responses on here... not just surprised but SHOCKED!

So based on the attacks on this guy who left HIS property in HIS vehicle I'm going to have to assume that anytime someones house is broken into its because they didn't secure it enough its the fault of the home owner?

Every time someone is robbed or pick pocketed its the fault of the victim because they didn't secure their belongings?

Every time someone shoplifts from a store its the fault of the merchant for not watching them close enough?

Its the criminals fault, it is not the fault of the gun owner and that current "blame the victim" mentality is why this country is going straight down the tubes. Its not the gangsters fault, its society's for putting him in that situation, its not the crack addicts fault, its the police's fault for not getting the drugs of the street...

the list never ends

Preach on Brother !!!!

[GlockedAndLoaded]

If I HAVE to leave my handgun in my car I leave it on the dashboard, with a sign pointing to it that says FREE GUN-ABSOLUTELY FREE JUST TAKE IT, and then I cover it with candy, roll down the windows and leave the door unlocked. Just to be safe I leave some 20's sticking out of my wallet and throw that right next to the gun, just to be safe.


No one will take my things if it looks like a trap. You're welcome.