Criminals steal more than 237,000 guns from legal American gun owners every year
AP
- Gun theft is on the rise in the US, fueling violent crime across the country.
- A wide-ranging investigation by The Trace and NBC analyzed 800,000 police records. In 2016, more than 237,000 guns were reported stolen nationwide, a 68% increase from 2005.
- The problem is exacerbated by legal gun owners who fail to secure their firearms, making it easy for criminals to steal them.
Criminals are stealing guns from legal owners in increasing numbers, fueling violent crime in America.
In 2016, more than 237,000 guns were reported stolen in the US, a more than 68% increase from 2005, an investigation from NBC and The Trace found.
In the last decade alone, 2 million guns were reported stolen, although that number is likely higher because many incidents of gun theft are never even reported. One estimate from the nonpartisan think-tank Center for American Progress puts the number of stolen guns per year at 380,000.
"The impact of gun theft is quite clear," Frank Occhipinti, an officer with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, told The Trace. "It is devastating our communities."
In the wake of mass shootings that have become all-too common in the US, gun control advocates typically push for enhanced background checks and tighter legal restrictions on the kinds of weapons citizens can buy - but gun theft from everyday owners is often left out of the discussion.
For more than a year, NBC and The Trace analyzed police records in hundreds of jurisdictions and cities across America in 36 states. All in all, they assessed roughly 800,000 records from more than 1,000 local and state law enforcement agencies.
In two-thirds of the 80 cities analyzed, gun theft rates increased substantially over a five-year period. In St. Louis, for example, 843 firearms were reported stolen in 2015, a 27% increase from 2010.
The Trace points out the irony in the increasing number of gun thefts around the country. While many law-abiding Americans buy guns for self defense, those guns often end up arming the very same criminals they fear.
Gun owners make it easy for criminals to steal
From carjackings to kidnappings, armed robberies to sexual assaults, criminals use stolen guns in a variety of situations.
In one case that The Trace/NBC investigation highlighted, criminals stole four shotguns and two handguns that an Arizona couple left stuffed in their dresser drawers.
When they returned home one day, all the guns were missing. Eight months later, police recovered one of the guns on the floor of a getaway car three robbers used after holding up a gas station and leading police on lengthy chase.
The source of the problem, experts say, is negligence on the part of many gun owners. Criminals are able to rob legal owners of their guns in many cases because their weapons are simply not secured in safes or lock boxes.
"It comes down to basic human responsibility," Occhipinti, the ATF official, told The Trace. "If a gun owner doesn't do what he's supposed to be doing, that obviously makes our job a lot harder."
See the full investigation here »
- I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- Colon cancer rates are rising in young people. If you have two symptoms you should get a colonoscopy, a GI oncologist says.
- Saudi Arabia wants China to help fund its struggling $500 billion Neom megaproject. Investors may not be too excited.
- Catan adds climate change to the latest edition of the world-famous board game
- Tired of blatant misinformation in the media? This video game can help you and your family fight fake news!
- Tired of blatant misinformation in the media? This video game can help you and your family fight fake news!
- JNK India IPO allotment – How to check allotment, GMP, listing date and more
- Indian Army unveils selfie point at Hombotingla Pass ahead of 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market