Stolen Firearm and Serial Numbers

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Adventurer 2

New member
This is my vent: Christmas Eve I made a stop at the Holiday Inn just outside of Columbus Ohio because I wanted to take a hot shower and sleep in a bed. The hotel has signs posted at all entrances that state something to the effect absolutely no firearms allowed in the building. Left a rifle in my truck. Next day - 3 broken windows and $7,000 worth of stuff gone. The Sheriff wants the serial number for the stolen rifle - I can't provide it because I kept that information on my laptop which was also stolen. I was able to review my credit card records and determine when and where I bought the rifle. Called the seller up and asked for some help getting the serial number - was told that he can help after I pay a $25 fee. *** the purchase was in the last year and I know the exact day, time, and cost and besides I froze all of my accounts as soon as I discovered my laptop gone and can't provide any form of payment until I open new accounts. I really would like to have that serial number entered into NCIC but I am not going to pay 25$ to do it.
I am flying the bird for Target World located in Chalfont, PA - You guys don't deserve to be in business - You just lost thousands of dollars in business (I do have to replace a lot of gear) over $25 - Idiots.
 
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Metaloy Industries

New member
All the dealer has to do is to look at the 4473 form you filled out for the S/N. If you have a receipt of the sale, the S/N should be on that.

If you can't get him to give you the serial number for free, I would contact your local or regional ATF office and tell them of your plight with the dealer. That could border on obstruction of justice maybe.

I have to admit...that is pretty low to charge a fee to give you YOUR serial number to help you recover a stolen firearm.
 
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jrfoxx

New member
+1 about charging a fee being pretty darn scummy.I would tell everyone I knew and/or saw shopping there about it.What a jerk.
 
A

Any .45

New member
Not 100% sure but I think the authorities can get involved getting the firearm serial # from dealer. Just due to the legal ramifications if that weapon were to be used in a crime, just my thoughts. By the way the guys a scum bag for trying to charge you to give you a serial #.
 
A

Adventurer 2

New member
Called a friend that is a policeman - he told me to ask patrol to stop in at the gun shop and ask for the serial number - different states PA and OH so that wouldn't work. He suggested talking to the store manager and mentioning that I would need to replace some items. Called the store and asked for the store manager - got the exact same guy. I do not have the best sales skills so I still do not have a serial number. Friend told me to pass the gun store phone number on to the Sheriff in OH. That's where I am at. Policeman friend is going to check with his friend at ATF.
 
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SOSARMS

New member
Having been on the receiving end of a 30+ gun heist, the feeling doesn't get any better as years go by......Even if the gun is sold through a reputable reseller, the s/n is not furnished to anyone who has a record of the stolen s/ns....I wish there was a national data base to receive the info on stolens, but not here...not today....:mad: :mad:
 
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ATCDoktor

New member
I hate to hear that you stuff was stolen, the same thing happened to me last Christmas. Rifle, Chronograph, hunting clothes were all stolen out of my truck.

I didn't have my serial number available but I had bought the rifle locally and did the same thing you did, asked the gunshop to do the research.

They refused to lift a finger to help until I told them what month and year that I had purchased the rifle.

I couldn't remember so they said too bad. They didn't even offer up to do it for 25.00 I would have gladly paid double that to get the info.

They claimed that they would have to dig through a couple of years worth of info and it would take too much time.

The only way the cops could force them to do it is if the rifle had been recovered and BATFE had traced the serial number from the Factory all the way down to me (the purchaser) trying to find the owner.

I have since recorded all my sn #'s and keep copies in several locations.

Again, I feel for your loss and frustration.
 
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DonR101395

New member
That sucks all the way around. As for the personal info on your computer and the serial numbers. I keep all of the burned to a CD separate from my guns, I also keep a copy on a thumb drive that is encrypted and have a copy in an encrypted file on my laptop. I use a program called axcrypt.
 
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skeeter1

New member
I don't trust anything on my laptop

After all, the last one went literaly up in flames while it was on my lap!!.

I keep two safes in the house; the big one upstairs with most of the firearms in it (I keep one out near the bed) and the important papers in a small fireproof safe in the basement, including the reciepts for every firearm I've purchased since 1970.

Just a thought, but it might just help you out in the future.
 
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BillCA

New member
Serial numbers

Here's another thought on keeping your serial numbers available.

If you have a trusted friend, put your information into a text file format, then use a free encryption program (e.g. Pretty Good Privacy - PGP) to keep the contents private should his PC get stolen. You can also give your trusted friend the "key" to open the file in a separate file so you can recover the data if your PC is also stolen. (Note that theives probably won't figure out to pair the PGP key with the encrypted file to open it.)

If you have a safety deposit box, you can put a printed copy in there along with a CD with the information in electronic format.
 
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WIN71

New member
Dros

If you bought the weapon through an FFL ,handgun or long gun, there was a DROS filled out. Any law enforcement agency can assess the DOJ data base and request an "all firearms registered to ". Everything you ever bought will be on there whether you still own it or not.
 
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billdeserthills

New member
Dros

Say, I'm a locksmith/gun dealer in Arizona, what the Hell is this DROS thing you are referring to? When I sell a gun I'm required to have the customer fill out form 4473, then I enter data about the firearm purchased on the form. The form is then filed away, until the ATF should want to see it for some unknown reason. The info is never sent or transmitted, at least not in Arizona.
 
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WIN71

New member
Dros

Dealers Report of Sale. May be an individual state thing. I forgot that all states are not as restrictive and document crazy as , you guessed it, Calif.
 
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tydephan

New member
Adventurer,

Sorry to hear about your theft. I have had guns stolen during a home burglary, so I know the feeling. I had to go through the same red tape. However it was more than a year since I had purchased the guns, so my local gunstore had no record (they had already been boxed up and sent to BATF). So I was facing having to contact BATF and PAY THEM $25 for the information.

It's amazing how everyone wants to take advantage at a time like that. But I guess that's just business.

My major problem with this whole deal is the fact that you had to leave your weapons in your vehicle. Understanding that a hotel is private property and all, there is no way I leave that stuff in the vehicle. Obviously theives know high-probability areas and this hotel was certainly one of them, given their "disallowed firearms" rule.

There is hope, albeit not much. The local authorities were able to recover my weapons because the thieves were morons. But recovery is an anomaly and will stay that way until there is a better method of tracking stolen weapons.

Best of luck to you.
John
 
A

Adventurer 2

New member
It feels like Christmas in April: I received a call this morning from the Zanesville's Sherrifs Department. My stolen rifle has been recovered - WooHoo!!
The detective on the case sent a request to Target World for my serial number. Target world gave him the serial number (no charge). My rifle was picked up in a sweep of some scumbag's residence in Columbus, OH.
The detective is currently trying to determine how my rifle went from my truck to here. Columbus PD has my rifle in their evidence room. Someday, I am going to get it back. I couldn't be happier.
 
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mikejonestkd

New member
Great News!!!

Now that you know it has been recovered you need to get your lawyer involved. Depending on the state laws you should get your lawyer to get a receipt that it is in the police evidence room. Guns have a way of disappearing, even in locked rooms....

some others that know more about the details of recovering stolen firearms hopefully will chime in soon....
 
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