I need some advice

[stuffaknuckle]

Ok, so hear is the deal. Im gonna make a long story very short. My girlfriends mother had rented her house to a couple and her (the girlfriends mother) son. Since that time, they have completely destroyed the house. I mean destroyed as in no windows, missing walls, no wiring, ect, ect. Well, after finally getting them out by a court order they left behind all of their belongings. Now, I know in a normal situation you would have to hold on to their possessions for x amount of time but these people and my girlfriends brother are total drug addicts and walked away from everything. So, here is what I need advice on. One of the items left was a mosin nagant rifle. I have the rifle in my custody right now and I need to know what to do with it. Can I sell it to put the money back into her house that they destroyed? Do I need to turn it into the police?

Im not worried about the drug addict renters as they took off when the police showed up to kick them out. I just need to know the legalitys of what to do or what I can do with this rifle. I really dont want to call the police in case the rifle is stolen (I wouldnt doubt it) and get charged with having a stolen rifle, if it is.

 

[OldShooter]

If you are worried that it is stolen, give it to the police and tell them the story. Your girlfriend's mother should talk to a lawyer.

 

[shaunpain]

If it were me, I would probably trace the serial trail. You can, without actually saying how you acquired the rifle, find out if it has a report on it (any gun owner would report the serial # to the police immediately). If you can find the previous owner and it was stolen, I would personally give it back to them. It's the right thing to do, and the police will most likely just take the rifle and never give it back anyway.I would NEVER, EVER keep anything unless I have put considerable effort into getting it back to the original owner.

I live in Chicago and bikes get stolen like hot cakes out here. I know that many times when police here find a stolen bike, it is rarely given back. Not that the cops in your region are crooked, but I wouldn't even take the chance.

Anyway, I don't know if you should necessarily take my advice as it's not the completely honest thing to do, but it's definitely what I would do.

 

[NukemJim]

Uhmm, Erhh... Excuse me but I am a little confused

If it were me, I would probably trace the serial trail. You can, without actually saying how you acquired the rifle, find out if it has a report on it (any gun owner would report the serial # to the police immediately).

How exactly is the OP supposed to do that?

My limited understanding, and as always I could be wrong, is that LEOs will not run a # on a firearm per citizen request.

I was also given to understand that when a LEO ran a search on a computer system that they have to be able to provide a reason (case #, report# whatever) or if discvered would be in trouble.

I am NOT a LEO or lawyer so I am not an expert on this and could as always be wrong.

Are there any LEOs or Lawyers out there that can shed some light on this question?

NukemJim

 

[shaunpain]

That, Jim, I had no idea of. Maybe the only option is to just turn it in?

It seems so... helpless... but I guess if the OP's hands are tied...

I wouldn't want to be caught with a stolen firearm. That would be the first bad day in a series of several more to come.

 

[Bud Helms]

This is a classic case of the firearm being purely incidental to the topic.

We could as easily be discussing a vehicle or a television left behind.

This is about recovering damaged property.

Closed.