Has anyone ever heard or dealt with this in the past?

[jaynkumz]

Has anyone ever had a firearm that they purchased new and have had in their possession since it was new show up as reported stolen?

I had an incredibly stressful experience yesterday and today because the serial number of my weapon that I purchased in the Pittsburgh area matched the serial number of a weapon that was reported stolen in the Philadelphia area.

The report from Philadelphia said the following:
Make: S&W Caliber: .38 Model: Highpoint S/N: *******

The model is incorrect and it was reported stolen 2 months ago for a firearm I have had for over a year and purchased new.

[cruzans]

I had that happen a couple years ago. I received a call from a State Police Trooper on a gun used in a crime down Philly way. Trooper first asked me if I sell any guns and/or if I have sold any guns to anyone in that part of the State. I told him I have not and what was the issue. He said a gun with a serial number traced back to a gun I own was used in a crime. He gave me the serial number and make of gun ( a Kel Tec ) and the number did in fact match my HK P7. After talking for a bit on the phone, and letting him know my P7 with that serial number was safe and sound in my possession, he suddenly apologized profusely and thanked me for my time. That was the last I heard ! I wouldn't worry too much about it.....

[PA_PB&J]

Is your sidearm a S&W Caliber: .38 Model: Highpoint?

My posting-do is off today. As far as I know the serial number does not matter IF the funs/guns are different.

Who cares if a revolver with serial number 123 was stolen if what you have is an an AR pistol with the same serial?

Why would you say "The model is incorrect and it was reported stolen 2 months ago" the model is most probably correct for that handgun that got stolen, why would it have anything to do with you or your handgun that just happens to share the same serial number?

[daschnoz]

PSP phishing expedition? (I'll loosen my tin foil hat, hang on...)

This does raise a question - if the PSP is not using the "record of transfer" as a registry... (meh, you know the rest)... ??



In reality, this would be easy to fix.

All US firearms manufacturers should prefix their serial numbers with a 2 or 3 letter manufacturer identifier. It may be slightly more difficult with imported guns, but if US makers did it, that would account for a good number.

I think most of these should be self explanatory:
RUG
SAV
HK
WAL
REM
WIN
CLT
SW
SIG
GLK
KLT = KelTec
PB = Beretta

The letters don't necessarily need to mimic the company name (POS = HiPoint ) When they look for a KelTec with serial number KLT12345, they know right away that your H&K (S/N: HK12345) is not the gun they're looking for.

I don't think .gov needs to make something like this law. I think it is something that the industry could do on its own.

[Steve_NEPhila]

Oh man, this is really really simple. Here is how it would go with me:

PSP: Hello, this is the Staats Polizei and we have a few questions.

Steve:....

PSP: Do you have a pistol made by the Umbrella Corp model BFG-9000 with the serial number ABC123?

Steve:...

PSP: Subject, are you there? I axed you a question.

Steve:...

Wash, rinse and repeat.

Sure, they could try to talk to me in person and they may even be a little perturbed about it. Hell, they could probably get a warrant and search through my dirty laundry and Star Wars toy collection. I still would not answer a single question knowing that they have the power of the Commonwealth behind them and I am just a "subject." Some may see it as impotent defiance, I see it as my right.

[BobGun]

PSP phishing expedition? (I'll loosen my tin foil hat, hang on...)

This does raise a question - if the PSP is not using the "record of transfer" as a registry... (meh, you know the rest)... ??



In reality, this would be easy to fix.

All US firearms manufacturers should prefix their serial numbers with a 2 or 3 letter manufacturer identifier. It may be slightly more difficult with imported guns, but if US makers did it, that would account for a good number.

I think most of these should be self explanatory:
RUG
SAV
HK
WAL
REM
WIN
CLT
SW
SIG
GLK
KLT = KelTec
PB = Beretta

The letters don't necessarily need to mimic the company name (POS = HiPoint ) When they look for a KelTec with serial number KLT12345, they know right away that your H&K (S/N: HK12345) is not the gun they're looking for.

I don't think .gov needs to make something like this law. I think it is something that the industry could do on its own.

Please do not give the idiots in .gov any more ideas to make firearms more expensive.

[G17-5291]

I had that happen a couple years ago. I received a call from a State Police Trooper on a gun used in a crime down Philly way. Trooper first asked me if I sell any guns and/or if I have sold any guns to anyone in that part of the State. I told him I have not and what was the issue. He said a gun with a serial number traced back to a gun I own was used in a crime. He gave me the serial number and make of gun ( a Kel Tec ) and the number did in fact match my HK P7. After talking for a bit on the phone, and letting him know my P7 with that serial number was safe and sound in my possession, he suddenly apologized profusely and thanked me for my time. That was the last I heard ! I wouldn't worry too much about it.....

Seriously? They didn't even bother to figure out the make and model of the gun actually used in the crime, just that the serial number matched.

Ridiculous

[Orlov556]

Also think about the number of errors that could have been made in this scenario: Involved in this are:

1) The gun shop clerk who wrote the serial down of your firearm on the ROS form

2) The PSP clerk who typed it into the ROS Registry that's not a registry

3) The gun shop clerk who wrote the serial down on the stolen gun's ROS form

4) The PSP clerk who typed the stolen guns serial it into the ROS Registry that's not a registry

5) The owner of the stolen guns records of their serial numbers

6) The serial from police report of the stolen gun

7) The officer who input the stolen serial in NCIC

See how big of a clusterfuck this database can get??

Good luck to you.

[OwnTheRide]

I had that happen a couple years ago. I received a call from a State Police Trooper on a gun used in a crime down Philly way. Trooper first asked me if I sell any guns and/or if I have sold any guns to anyone in that part of the State. I told him I have not and what was the issue. He said a gun with a serial number traced back to a gun I own was used in a crime. He gave me the serial number and make of gun ( a Kel Tec ) and the number did in fact match my HK P7. After talking for a bit on the phone, and letting him know my P7 with that serial number was safe and sound in my possession, he suddenly apologized profusely and thanked me for my time. That was the last I heard ! I wouldn't worry too much about it.....

Some free advice: don't talk to the police!!! ESPECIALLY when an LEO calls you up and starts asking about your guns!!!!!!!

[jaynkumz]

I appreciate the input. After speaking with the local police around here I was given the information for the detective in the Philadelphia area.

Apparently the gun was reported stolen during a robbery in September and the first and last name of the individual who reported it stolen is the same as mine. The date of birth and address does not match. The most confusing part is the serial number of the gun. I have never sold a firearm or purchased one that is not new. I have had this weapon in a known location since I have owned it in mid-July of 2013.

This makes absolutely no sense to me. I was told the weapon has to be test fired now to make sure it hasn't been used in a crime and then "may" be released back to me. I am dumbfounded. I have all of my original purchase information sitting next to me with the box and everything that came with it.

Edit: As a back story I do not freely speak about things such as this as so many have warned but my vehicle was towed from a spot and considered as "impounded" so it was "searched" (a.k.a. inventoried). This is when the weapon was found and the serial number ran. I just thought I was picking up my truck but quickly determined that was not the case.