Well... Crap.

[MrWhiteRabbit]

Just went out to the storage unit where some of my lesser-used (or sentimental-value-only) guns are kept among a bunch of other household goods and ... well ... the guns *were* kept there. Looks like several guns were taken from there somewhere between mid-November and today. You'd think that a digital keypad for building entry, a key-locked unit nestled several rows away from the door, and keeping the guns hidden back out of sight and trigger-locked would be sufficient, but I guess not. Thieves walked past thousands of dollars of dive gear, carbon fiber bicycles, and thousands of rounds of ammo to get those cases, but they got what they came for.

So what do I do now? I'm compiling a list of make/model/serial/description (some of the guns they took were custom-engraved and should be easy to spot) before I call the cops. Any idea what kind of shitstorm I'm in for when I make that call?

[Grant H.]

Call the cops.

Let them ask the storage facility for video footage. If you have already talked to them, expect there to be "disk" failures. This sounds like Storage Unit Owners/employee's watching what's stored there and taking the things they are interested in.

Good reminder to not leave firearms unsecured... Padlocks are NOT secure.

[WETWRKS]

I would call the cops now and compile info afterwards. Get them working on it ASAP.

[Bailey Guns]

No... You're doing it right. Get all the info you can, especially serial numbers and makes/models. That way the officers burglary report will contain all that and the info can immediately be entered in CCIC/NCIC databases. Without that info entered it will be more difficult to identify your guns even if they're recovered. And don't worry about any hassle from the cops. Frankly, it'll be just another burglary report they'll forward to the detective division. From what you're saying it sounds like someone knew those guns were there. Do you have kids that might've inadvertently been in the storage unit with their "friends" or anything like that?

[Zundfolge]

Padlocks are NOT secure.

I've watched enough Lock Picking Lawyer videos to know that's for sure.

[Bailey Guns]

Is any lock secure against that guy?

[TheNash]

Locks only keep the honest out

[flogger]

Well that really sucks. Good suggestions have already been posted.

Inside 'secure' climate controlled or garage lot type?

Not sure I would store guns or ammo in either but....! Good luck,... I hate thieves.

[flogger]

No... You're doing it right. Get all the info you can, especially serial numbers and makes/models. That way the officers burglary report will contain all that and the info can immediately be entered in CCIC/NCIC databases. Without that info entered it will be more difficult to identify your guns even if they're recovered. And don't worry about any hassle from the cops. Frankly, it'll be just another burglary report they'll forward to the detective division. From what you're saying it sounds like someone knew those guns were there. Do you have kids that might've inadvertently been in the storage unit with their "friends" or anything like that?

ditto

[Martinjmpr]

Why would there be a "shitstorm?" Your property was stolen, report it to the cops with descriptions and SNs so that if/when they bust some low life with one of your guns, you'll get it back.

I had a handgun and a bunch of holsters, etc, stolen out of my car in 1984. Of all the things I lost, the pistol was the only thing I got back.

Kind of a funny thing, I had written off the gun after it was stolen and replaced it with another one. Almost a year later I got a letter from the Boulder County Sheriff's office that read "we have made an arrest in a crime in which you were a victim." I thought it was odd and racked my brain trying to think of what crime I was a victim of in Boulder county. So I called the number and they looked up the case number and said "You had a handgun stolen last year right?" They said I could come up and pick it up after showing an ID.

So anyway, call the cops, give them the SN's and call your insurance company if you have one (homeowners or renters insurance usually covers a storage unit unless there is some specific exclusion in your policy. Of course, deductibles and policy limits apply too. Also, I'm not sure what happens if you file an insurance claim and collect on it and then the PD finds your gun. I don't know if you have to turn it over to the insurance company or pay them back or whatever. My loss wasn't covered (and it was way below the policy limit anyway) so I'm not sure.

[Irving]

Which storage place so we can avoid. Make sure you leave a bad yelp review if the storage facility isn't forth coming with video footage.

[MrWhiteRabbit]

No... You're doing it right. Get all the info you can, especially serial numbers and makes/models. That way the officers burglary report will contain all that and the info can immediately be entered in CCIC/NCIC databases. Without that info entered it will be more difficult to identify your guns even if they're recovered. And don't worry about any hassle from the cops. Frankly, it'll be just another burglary report they'll forward to the detective division. From what you're saying it sounds like someone knew those guns were there. Do you have kids that might've inadvertently been in the storage unit with their "friends" or anything like that?

I called non-emergency for Denver (where I live), they told me to call non-emergency Aurora (where the guns were stolen from). We're meeting at the storage unit in the morning and they'll see what they can do to review tape, etc.

I've already printed out a list of make/model/serial/description (one was a custom-engraved 1911 that will be easy to spot if it ever gets picked up).

No kids. I'm the only one who went to pick stuff up in the last year or so. My specific unit is nestled pretty far back in the center of the building and nobody paid special attention whenever I was there with the door open and it was closed/locked whenever I needed to make multiple trips out to the car and back. Not like there were any chatty cathys coming by to socialize. There is open air space at the top of the units so if someone got on a ladder in an adjacent unit and looked over to mine, they could see piles of boxes, but they'd be hard-pressed to know which containers had guns in them from that viewing angle.

[MrWhiteRabbit]

Indoors, climate-controlled. I'm thinking this was targeted somehow (but I'll know more after talking to the office when they open in the morning). Mine is just a random door, in a long line of random doors, down one hallway of several hallways on that floor, of a multi-floor building. And to the best of my knowledge, the only thing they took was guns.

[MrWhiteRabbit]

The "shitstorm" question is because I have to be very careful with some of my stuff because various jurisdictions don't like certain features of guns. Nothing NFA or truly high-dollar was in the unit, but some places don't like pistol grips, semi-auto 12ga, etc.

[MrWhiteRabbit]

Yeah, the dollar amount here isn't very high (under $10k, I'd estimate) but it included the BB gun my grandfather used to teach me how to shoot, a replica of what I was shot at in a warzone not too long ago, etc. The danger to society is real, though (1911, AR, a couple 12ga, etc.)

[MrWhiteRabbit]

I'll refrain from naming the company for now, but it's a big chain of indoor storage units. Let's see how they handle my news and cops in the morning before I name and shame.

[Lurch]

So someone can look into your unit from the one next to it? What keeps people from climbing over and taking stuff?

[MrWhiteRabbit]

It's a series of roughly 3" by 18" slats that are missing in a repeating pattern around the ceiling for air flow.

[Great-Kazoo]

The "shitstorm" question is because I have to be very careful with some of my stuff because various jurisdictions don't like certain features of guns. Nothing NFA or truly high-dollar was in the unit, but some places don't like pistol grips, semi-auto 12ga, etc.

AFAIK: There's still no restrictions in CO for what you own, yet.

On aside not i sure as hell would not be securing any nfa items with anything other than. A nice safe, in the same place i was living. If i owned any nfa items, of course.

[.455_Hunter]

Using your own cell network based alarm system is probably necessary in storage units. Even a game camera that sends text pictures to your phone can provide a realtime alert of intrusion.

[def90]

File a police report but based on feedback from other people in similar situations the cops won?t do anything about it, just another petty theft to them. Contact the ATF as well so that the serial numbers get put on the stolen firearm list.

As far as things being illegal, the Denver law is vague in definition and I believe just says any firearm that has a magazine over 15 rounds, so basically if you have an AR with a 10 round mag in it it?s ok but if it has a 30 round mag it?s illegal.

[brutal]

File a police report but based on feedback from other people in similar situations the cops won?t do anything about it, just another petty theft to them. Contact the ATF as well so that the serial numbers get put on the stolen firearm list.

As far as things being illegal, the Denver law is vague in definition and I believe just says any firearm that has a magazine over 15 rounds, so basically if you have an AR with a 10 round mag in it it?s ok but if it has a 30 round mag it?s illegal.

Would the ATF be interested if they're not NFA?

As Baily Guns indicated, they get entered into CCIC/NCIC databases regardless.

[def90]

Would the ATF be interested if they're not NFA?

As Baily Guns indicated, they get entered into CCIC/NCIC databases regardless.

I've heard enough stories of local PDs not entering guns in to the database to say it wouldn't hurt.

[Bailey Guns]

The ATF doesn't care. This is not a federal crime. They'll refer you to your local PD. And it's not "petty theft". It's burglary. It's a felony (or perhaps multiple felonies depending on circumstances). The patrol officer that takes the report is not going to be the officer that follows up on the investigation. It will be followed up by the detective division, most likely by detectives that do nothing but burglaries. Once they see the report they'll be able to compare it to other, similar incidents. This might be the missing link case they need to solve an entire series of crimes. You never know.

Maybe, just maybe, let's try giving this member some advice based on real experience so he does the right thing instead of relying on "enough stories" of dubious value. I know, I know...that's just crazy talk.

It may not be the patrol officer that enters information. As a matter of fact, it probably won't be. But it will get entered. Because if it's not there will be someone answering for that oversight once the case is picked up by detectives. I've worked at agencies where things like serial numbers were entered by various means...from officers with access to CCIC doing it themselves, to calling dispatch with the appropriate information to clerks that are assigned to do that sort of thing. Just depends on the agency. It's quite likely in this more modern age (as opposed to my dated experience) the officer might even be able to enter the numbers/descriptions from his car MDT. It's not rocket surgery.

OP...do yourself a favor. Meet the officers, give them the info you have, and let them begin their initial investigation and submit their report(s). Don't worry about what type of gun you have...not only will they likely not care what type gun you have, but they probably won't even know anything about it other than what you tell them. Most cops are not really gun savvy.

[MrWhiteRabbit]

Maybe, just maybe, let's try giving this member some advice based on real experience so he does the right thing instead of relying on "enough stories" of dubious value. I know, I know...that's just crazy talk.

You, sir, are my hero.

I’ve already printed out a list of make/model/serial/description of everything missing, along with stock images of some of the weird ones. Their non-emergency number person told me to call back in the morning once the storage company’s office was open and I was on premises. They’d send someone out to take a report and see about narrowing down when this happened and getting video from that day.

[Eric P]

The ATF doesn't care. This is not a federal crime. They'll refer you to your local PD. And it's not "petty theft". It's burglary. It's a felony (or perhaps multiple felonies depending on circumstances).

The evil x who stole my guns was charged and convicted of federal crimes for stealing guns. The judge asked the ATF prosecutor why it was a federal crime. She basically said since the guns crossed state lines for me to purchase (but never left the state after being stolen) it was a federal crime.

All guns recovered at pawn shops since they checked serial numbers.

[Bailey Guns]

The only time I personally ever saw the ATF involved in a firearms theft investigation was when the theft was from an FFL or some federal agency/property. I don't know the circumstances of your case so I can't comment on it. Generally, the ATF doesn't deal with firearms theft outside of theft from FFLs or unless there is some other direct connection to the federal government. This is from the ATF website:


ATF does not take reports of stolen firearms from private citizens:

If you are an individual needing assistance in obtaining a serial number for a firearm, ATF is unable to assist private citizens in locating serial numbers as there is no national registration system. One of the following options may assist you:

Contact the firearms dealer where you purchased the firearm.

If the firearms dealer is out of business and your inquiry is in reference to a stolen firearm, contact your local police department. It is possible they will submit a request to the National Tracing Center for a Records Search Request assuming the circumstances are connected to a bona fide criminal investigation.

Contact your state firearms registration office if your state has one.
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/report-firearms-theft-or-loss

[brutal]

The evil x who stole my guns was charged and convicted of federal crimes for stealing guns. The judge asked the ATF prosecutor why it was a federal crime. She basically said since the guns crossed state lines for me to purchase (but never left the state after being stolen) it was a federal crime.

All guns recovered at pawn shops since they checked serial numbers.

I thought you had some NFA stuff stolen and recovered as well. Same gear?

Or maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

I had a pistol stolen from my truck in Nov and the DougCo Deputy took the report over the phone. Didn't give two shits about the (loaded) mags that were also taken. I have to wonder if it's ever found and returned if they would give me the 18 rounders back. He actually made a comment that the ammo was probably worth more than the mags. LOL.

[RblDiver]

Is any lock secure against that guy?

Send them into space on a rocket. That might make it take him 10 minutes to figure out, if you're lucky.

[Martinjmpr]

All guns recovered at pawn shops since they checked serial numbers.

When I got my pistol back from the Boulder Sheriff's dept I asked them how they recovered it. Turns out it was a DUI, they arrested the driver, inventoried his vehicle prior to having it towed to the impound lot and found the pistol. They ran the SN through their database and it came back stolen.

So I asked if the driver was being prosecuted for the theft or at the very least possession of stolen property. They told me he bought it a pawn shop. Now this was in 1985 when nobody had heard of the Internet so I don't know if pawn shops (or other FFLs) were required to run a serial number before accepting a firearm back then but I would hope they are now, what with all the linked data systems we have. Are they?

[Martinjmpr]

BTW as a public service you might want to identify the storage place so the rest of us will know not to keep any valuables there.

[OneGuy67]

The evil x who stole my guns was charged and convicted of federal crimes for stealing guns. The judge asked the ATF prosecutor why it was a federal crime. She basically said since the guns crossed state lines for me to purchase (but never left the state after being stolen) it was a federal crime.

All guns recovered at pawn shops since they checked serial numbers.

All pawn shops are required to provide a pawn slip of anything taken in to local law enforcement. The serial numbers are usually checked in CCIC/NCIC at that time.

[KevDen2005]

Just went out to the storage unit where some of my lesser-used (or sentimental-value-only) guns are kept among a bunch of other household goods and ... well ... the guns *were* kept there. Looks like several guns were taken from there somewhere between mid-November and today. You'd think that a digital keypad for building entry, a key-locked unit nestled several rows away from the door, and keeping the guns hidden back out of sight and trigger-locked would be sufficient, but I guess not. Thieves walked past thousands of dollars of dive gear, carbon fiber bicycles, and thousands of rounds of ammo to get those cases, but they got what they came for.

So what do I do now? I'm compiling a list of make/model/serial/description (some of the guns they took were custom-engraved and should be easy to spot) before I call the cops. Any idea what kind of shitstorm I'm in for when I make that call?

Already said, but SNs, good descriptions, values, try to pin down the time they were taken, and if you have any photos of said items. Check Armslist and pawn shops. Police need the SNs to enter as stolen into CCIC, and a lot of stuff gets tracked down (except for my stolen gun). Nevertheless, I would talk to a manager or GM for the facility and take it as high as you can so not to alert anyone at lower levels. A lot of these are inside jobs, not always, but it does happen. And even on regular days camera systems seem to be crap, so the sooner the better.

[MrWhiteRabbit]

Yup, I called the non-emergency number again just a moment ago, enjoying my coffee outside the storage company office with a list of make/model/serial numbers, waiting for the cop to get here.

[roberth]

Well that sucks, hope you get your stuff back.

[Wulf202]

So if you have homeowner or renter's insurance they should cover a storage unit theft.

Having said that if you get paid on these items and they get recovered they're property of the insurance company so you'll need to discuss in detail which you want to buy back and if you can from the insurance company. Also keep the money on hand to send them a check.

[Martinjmpr]

So if you have homeowner or renter's insurance they should cover a storage unit theft.

Having said that if you get paid on these items and they get recovered they're property of the insurance company so you'll need to discuss in detail which you want to buy back and if you can from the insurance company. Also keep the money on hand to send them a check.

Subject to deductibles and policy limits, of course. ;)

Some HO policies specifically limit firearm coverage to a specific amount. If you want more coverage than the basic, you have to buy a rider that covers the guns. Check your policy to be sure.

[wctriumph]

Sorry for your loss, please accept my condolences.

As to record keeping, I take a picture of all my valuables and created a PowerPoint file on my computer and I have a slide for each item with the serial number, description, year of manufacture, caliber and the value based on Gunbroker (LOL). I copy the PowerPoint onto a DVD and keep that in a nondescript briefcase under the bed. I update it every time I sell/ trade or acquire new a item. It is easy to get if we have to leave the house in a emergency. We keep receipts, titles and other important documents in the case.
I too have a storage unit, what some call a one car garage size but you would have to have a smart car to park in it. Anyway, two smaller safes that I bolted to the floor, one for rifles and the other for handguns, lots of desiccant in them too. Basic padlock as I felt that a bigger pick proof look would attract attention. No air space so no one can see or climb into the space. The safes cannot be seen when the door is open, back behind furniture and stuff.
If anyone broke in they could not see anything but piled up furniture and cardboard boxes, nothing of value except to my wife because she wants to keep all of that crap. We moved from a three bedroom two car garage house to a two bedroom one car garage duplex so not enough room for all of her furniture and stuff.
Never had a problem at the storage unit, hardly ever see anyone there when we go. Place is run by the owner that lives on site.

[CS1983]

Sorry for your loss, please accept my condolences.

As to record keeping, I take a picture of all my valuables and created a PowerPoint file on my computer and I have a slide for each item with the serial number, description, year of manufacture, caliber and the value based on Gunbroker (LOL). I copy the PowerPoint onto a DVD and keep that in a nondescript briefcase under the bed. I update it every time I sell/ trade or acquire new a item. It is easy to get if we have to leave the house in a emergency. We keep receipts, titles and other important documents in the case.
I too have a storage unit, what some call a one car garage size but you would have to have a smart car to park in it. Anyway, two smaller safes that I bolted to the floor, one for rifles and the other for handguns, lots of desiccant in them too. Basic padlock as I felt that a bigger pick proof look would attract attention. No air space so no one can see or climb into the space. The safes cannot be seen when the door is open, back behind furniture and stuff.
If anyone broke in they could not see anything but piled up furniture and cardboard boxes, nothing of value except to my wife because she wants to keep all of that crap. We moved from a three bedroom two car garage house to a two bedroom one car garage duplex so not enough room for all of her furniture and stuff.
Never had a problem at the storage unit, hardly ever see anyone there when we go. Place is run by the owner that lives on site.

Might want to consider shifting that file to a cloud-based service since it's just a PowerPoint.

[Rooskibar03]

Leave it on Google, most of them are hidden on Yelp


Which storage place so we can avoid. Make sure you leave a bad yelp review if the storage facility isn't forth coming with video footage.

[battlemidget]

Check your rental agreement, firearms may be prohibited. Those storage unit places can have strict terms.

[BladesNBarrels]

Well, maybe your NRA membership firearm insurance will cover some of the loss.

[Coffee]

[rondog]

Check your rental agreement, firearms may be prohibited. Those storage unit places can have strict terms.

Theft is theft. "Agreements" and "terms" don't justify theft of firearms.

[Irving]

Check your rental agreement, firearms may be prohibited. Those storage unit places can have strict terms.

Shouldn't affect the homeowners insurance though.

[SideShow Bob]

Really ? Firearms left in a storage unit........ And you haven’t checked on them for almost 3 months ? What the hell is wrong with you ? (Read this and imagine a very good Foghorn Leghorn imitation.)


I’m Sorry, but someone had to say it.

[MrWhiteRabbit]

Cops came, I gave them the list of make/model/serial/description along with the pictures of some of the weird ones and right off the bat, I got the feeling the cop suspected me of something. He didn't even look at the pictures, just shoved them back to me, then started by asking me questions about how I knew the guns were missing. "Because they aren't there?" When did I learn they were missing? "Yesterday, when I opened the door to my storage unit." Why didn't I call yesterday? "I did call and your communications person told me to call back when the storage company office was open." How did I have such a complete list of what's missing if it's gone? "Because I know what I own and I laid eyes on all the others." Then we went in to talk with the on-site manager.

The manager was surprisingly helpful and forthcoming. He took my unit number, pulled up a map showing where all the cameras are (sadly, not on my aisle) and showed that there are cameras over the exterior doors to get people coming and going. He pulled up the last several times that my exterior code was used at the keypad and they were all me, so Mr. Burglar got in by some means other than using my keypad code. There is no interior sensor to tell when my unit door was open, so we're left with a ~10-week window between the last time I was in there with the guns and the day I saw they were missing. Then the manager tells us that the tubular locks they use had been state of the art a few years ago, but as of about a year ago, folks figured out how to pick them. The interesting thing is that when picking the tubular locks, it breaks something internally and that lock will never work again ... and yet, I was able to unlock and relock my unit just fine, so that's strange. I ask about the policy I learned about when starting the rent a few years ago, that they only allow their locks on their units. Well, apparently that went out the door and new renters are allowed using whatever locks they want - the company just never told those of us who already had stuff there. Bastards.

Then we all go to my unit. I unlock it just fine, walk the cops through the three things I know were touched, and show the manager how the lock still works with my key while cops take pictures. The manager is kind of bummed because now he'll have to tell the owner that there seems to be a new lock picking technique out there. Cops tell me they aren't going to fingerprint anything because fingerprints only lift off of certain surfaces (glass and some metals) not the boxes that I can tell have been opened or disturbed. I close up the unit, re-lock it, and we leave. Outside, the cop wants me to add the color, caliber, and estimated price of each of the pieces that were stolen. I guesstimate prices and fill out the rest while he calls in for a case number. He hands me a card with the case number on it and I ask if I need any other interaction with him/PD if I decide to file with insurance. Nope. What if I decide that I don't want to pursue insurance, do I need to close the loop with you guys for that? That seemed to confuse the cop, who started offering all sorts of ways to back out of this. Did I want to report it at all now? Did I not want a case opened? No, I still want all those things, don't you guys keep track of crime statistics? I just don't know if raising my insurance premiums will be worth it for a relatively low value of guns. So no, I don't have to tell them anything about insurance whether I claim it as a loss or not. He asks who else has a key. My wife does. He hates to ask, but could she have taken them? No, she's been to the unit, but she hasn't used the car, probably doesn't know where the unit is, and if she wanted money, there's lots of pricier things for her to sell. Then the cop made some comment about "best case" my guns get used in a crime, is the only way I'm likely to get them back. Can't say that crime is really a best case scenario for anyone involved, but yeah, that is one way of getting them back, I guess. Just weird.

Then we go our own ways. I hit up Home Depot, get a couple real padlocks and lock my own unit with them in addition to the tubular lock that they require. The end. Thanks for all your advice along the way.

[Irving]

Bummer nothing was caught on camera.

[00tec]

Tubular locks have never really been "state of the art", the picks just got cheaper.

[Mercula]

Bummer nothing was caught on camera.
That’s how it always works out. I swear with my job , very time I need something on camera it’s always just off. It’s freaky.

[Irving]

That’s how it always works out. I swear with my job , very time I need something on camera it’s always just off. It’s freaky.

It's how my dash cam works too.

[MrPrena]

I was tempted to say dumb stuff like...
You should put booby trap there that sprays high molarity of sulfuric acid. (Little higher than battery acid).


Getting burglarized sucks especially when people get burglarized at home.

OP is taking this well relative to when I got burglarized.
I was so angry that I didn't even post it here.