Track a stolen Gun

[ddefazio]

My father kept his 9mm in his office desk in our home. About 17 years ago while I was in highschool I ran into a couple of guys that I was going to school with. I was a sophmore and they were seniors. I had a nice pool table in our basement and I invited them over to shoot pool. No one was home except for us and while I went up to the kitchen to get drinks and snacks these guys go into my dads office and steal his gun. I felt so bad when I found this out but they never found the gun again. I was wondering if there is a way to track it down in Philly's system. My dad still has the serial number and the police report from when all this went down. Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with this.

[1713]

What do you mean track? If the stolen firearm was recovered then it would have been returned after disposition of any criminal charges.

The only thing I can think to tell you is call the PD that the theft was reported to and double check it was never recovered.

[ddefazio]

I was not sure about how a gun gets processed by the police department if it is found or was found. I was not even sure if there is a statute of limitations when it comes to lost or stolen items recovered. This happened a while back but my dad never got another gun and I thought that it might be worth a look if there was a place to check for things like this.

[HiredGoon]

A little confused here. If you knew who exactly took the gun...were charges pressed? The thieves never said what they did with the gun?

[ddefazio]

I don't remember what had happened to the kids. This happened 17 years ago, but I know that the gun was not returned to my father.

[Steve in PA]

When a firearm, or anything with a serial number or other identifiable number is reported stolen, said item is entered into "the system".

If the firearm is recovered, the serial number will be run to find out if it has been reported stolen. If it comes back as being reported stolen, the reporting police department will be notified. The recovering dept will then return the firearm to the dept that reported it stolen. This dept will then notify the property owner of the recovery.

[kevindsingleton]

17 years ago, the "system" was a notepad on a sergeant's desk. That pistol is long gone.

[mrjam2jab]

When a firearm, or anything with a serial number or other identifiable number is reported stolen, said item is entered into "the system".

If the firearm is recovered, the serial number will be run to find out if it has been reported stolen. If it comes back as being reported stolen, the reporting police department will be notified. The recovering dept will then return the firearm to the dept that reported it stolen. This dept will then notify the property owner of the recovery.

Not to hijack the thread...but how "hard" do they try to return it? I had one stolen about 10 years ago...about 5 yrs ago an officer from the dept called and left message "regarding a stolen firearm". I called and left a msg for him...but then never did hear back again...

[Kaos]

I had one stolen in June, I called every couple of weeks until they told me to stop calling and that they'd call me.

Makes me sick knowing that someone criminal has my gun.

I haven't carried since - but only because that was my only pistol.

[kevindsingleton]

Not to hijack the thread...but how "hard" do they try to return it? I had one stolen about 10 years ago...about 5 yrs ago an officer from the dept called and left message "regarding a stolen firearm". I called and left a msg for him...but then never did hear back again...

You quit after one call? I hope they're trying harder than you did!