Someone stole my guns!

[robsterclaw]

I'm a bit past pissed off. 2 teenagers were seen leaving my house this afternoon by my new neighbor. They took my jar of quarters that had $170, and took my large lock box sized fire safe that held my 3 guns, a video ipod a stack or bills about $100, our social security cards some Barbados money and quite a few dollar coins.

The cop told me she couldn't follow this up tonight, but would look into it tomorrow. That disappointed me, but also made me a little angry. We have an idea who did it except by tomorrow they will have had time to break into the box and do whatever with my guns and stuff. I'm sure the quarters are already toast.

Does anyone know if the cops try a little harder when teens steal guns or if they just hope to find them later on some how? I talked to my brother (CSPD) but he was too busy to talk for long. I am just curious if anyone has experience with stolen guns of it makes it more of a priority.

The only silver lining is wifey said to go get a handgun. This time I'll hide my gun safe better. I just hope they aren't able to break it open and get caught quickly. They are too young to try to sell it to a pawn shop where the serial numbers will come up as stolen, so it bothers me where the guns will end up.

[WillysWagon]

Sorry to hear about your loss !!!!!!!
Hope you get all your goodies back and then get some payback.....

[Delphi]

that is bad news :( i couldnt immagine how pissed i'd be if that happend to me....

Maybee now is time to consider in a decent allarm system for you... I had brinks and it didnt cost much to have the whole house covered, window breaks doors and everything. At the end of the day it decreases your home insurance more than it costs, and it would keep valulables like your guns somewhat safe... Stats show they generally run away when the alarm goes off.

A good gun safe thats bolted to the ground helps too.

I really hope that you get your stuff back soon and those kids are sent to some hellish juvi

[kwando]

that is a bummer. we just moved to a new house and we have brinks coming out to install an alarm. it cost a good amount up front, but that is because we had sensors install on all the main level doors and windows, glass break sensor, and a motion sensor in the basement and the main level. right now i am looking for a gun safe as well.

Good luck, hope you find those bastards. I would file a claim with your homeowners insurance, so there is a claim that your guns were stolen. Send them the s/n's. that way if they commit a crime with the weapons, you can prove it was not you.

[mr_dove]

I have a small lockbox with my guns in it too. It might be time to bolt the thing down.

[JohnTRourke]

Call the ATF
that's total $hit
when mine got stolen, the PD was all over it within a day.
i was getting calls from the detective, etc and they were recovered within 3 days. (of course the f*cking ATF/.gov has now "stolen" them for 10 months now, but that's a different problem)

[Asha'man]

Call every gov't agency that might have an interest in this. I bet the fact that there are firearms involved gets them off their fat lazy asses a lot faster than any other robbery would.

[roman gnome]

Damn, sorry to hear that Rob!

I hope you can track them down.

[robsterclaw]

I'll call the ATF later today. That sounds like a good idea. I went to the local places that have coinstar machines and the banks around here to ask if they'd keep track of the time anyone tries to cash in the change. Also talked to most of the businesses around here to note anyone paying in quarters, and Saturday I'm going house to house in the direction they walked and ask if anyone noticed them.

I did go buy an HK compact .45 today. I just couldn't force myself to buy the tactical version. I'll just buy the barrel and replace it later when I'm ready to buy a silencer. It wasn't even fun gun shopping because I was so pissed at the reason for having to go. And not happy about adding $900 to a credit card I paid off last month. Trying to look on the bright side, that I finally have a .45. I'll enjoy it after I catch the little bastards.
Thanks guys and I hope I get them back too.

[pickenup]

That SUCKS. I hate thieves.

The money is toast. Even if you find some kid spending it, there is no way to "prove" the coins were yours.

"She will look into it tomorrow" is just a statement they use, to blow you off. They are looking for the quickest way to fill out the paperwork, and get to the next place. Unless they have a witness (that can point out the kids RIGHT NOW) they are not going to do anything except wait to see if your guns turn up.....someday.

Not bashing cops, it's just the way it is. With a description of "a couple of teenagers, headed that way" what CAN the cops do? There are SO MANY thefts now days, that even if they involve a gun(s), without something more to go on, there isn't much they can do.

Some departments don't even sent out an officer for such matters. They just take the report over the phone.

I had 4 guns stolen years ago. The cop that showed up asked how long I had lived there. I told him, and he said he was surprised that it took as long as it did for them (he figured it was the kids in the neighborhood) to rip me off. Told me point blank that he wasn't going to DO anything except file the numbers and see if they turn up.

I did end up getting one of the guns back. The cheapest one of the bunch, of course. Hope you have better luck.

[PhL0aTeR]

dont get me started on my opinions of law enforcement, but it sounds like you had one that was lazy... reminds me of the scene in the big lebowski where "the dude" picks his car up from impound and he asks the attendant if theres any leads on the case, and the guy laughs and mocks him by saying they have 5 more detectives on the case.....

Anyways, sorry for your loss, everything is a learning experience, if not an alarm system, a gun safe that you have to have delivered by 5 large Samoans as well as anchoring it to the floor will definitely keep that happening again. I keep my prized firearms in my uncles safe, which was delivered by a truck bed mounted crane and not able to be brought into a house but had to be placed on a concrete pad in the garage, and also anchored.

[robsterclaw]

The cop didn't answer either of my 2 calls to her so obviously no help from them. I'll just do my own thing, and see where they goes. Even though I couldn't prove a teen cashing in $170 in quarters were my quarters it would tell me who did it, and there are things that could be done from that point on. The good thing is insurance will cover the replacement cost of the safe, guns money and ipod and fix the door frame. I guess I'm just shocked that a small town cop knows 2 teens from the neighborhood now have guns and just blows it off. How will she feel if the little bastard pops a cop with it? I know how I'll feel. The next gun safe will be secured to the floor, because that is the 1 thing I believe I may have been able to do to avoid this.

[Wulf202]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2726801&cp=2032060.2032330.2032344&parentPage=family
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2616760&cp=2032060.2032330.2032343&parentPage=family

after taxes they're about the same as having them shipped. Local sale was $517.27

Which is just over my deductible.

It's supposed to be plug and play, we'll see.

[PhL0aTeR]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2726801&cp=2032060.2032330.2032344&parentPage=family
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2616760&cp=2032060.2032330.2032343&parentPage=family

after taxes they're about the same as having them shipped. Local sale was $517.27

Which is just over my deductible.

It's supposed to be plug and play, we'll see.

the only thing that sucks about that, is you have video of what was stolen and maybe who stole it depending on the garb of the intruder and the angle of camera... but doesn't stop them from stealing it... Also, they are already inside, so the battle (for them) is half over, and what you might get is a broken $500 camera system in addition to your crap getting jacked. whats needed is a deterrent, or levels of deterrents, because nothing is "theft proof" so we use theft deterrents. If the camera is in plain sight, however, THAT is a deterrent, which is why dummy cameras are sold, which is a fake camera with an LED light showing its operating... some of the more fancier ones rotate or sweep the room with their "lens".

If i were to design something or suggest something, id say layer your deterrents..... Put valuables in the heavy safe that is also bolted to the floor, and have a security system installed. By security system, i mean an ADT or the like type system that sends a signal to the company, who notifies police, as well as loud sirens. (sometimes the most effective deterrent is the most simple, which is the ADT sign sticking by the windows.) The loud sirens attract eyes, and also makes the thieves scram. also make it hard for them to get in. you can plant thorny bushes by all windows, install a steel door and steel frame on all outside doors, lock your gates leading to the backyards, i could go o0n and on all day. Heres one of the more basic things..... use what you have..... lock your doors, put your shit in your safe, hide your safe (out of sight out of mind) because even though my uncle had to have his installed in his garage, he built a small room for it, so nobody sees it. It has no doorknob, just a push type of latch kinda like a secret compartment. just looking at it, you wouldn't question, "I wonder what that is." you just dont see it.

Anyways, for a very short time i was a security consultant, feel free to PM with any questions you might have. I might not be able to answer them all, but i will definitely try.

[Wulf202]

the only thing that sucks about that, is you have video of what was stolen and maybe who stole it depending on the garb of the intruder and the angle of camera... but doesn't stop them from stealing it... Also, they are already inside, so the battle (for them) is half over, and what you might get is a broken $500 camera system in addition to your crap getting jacked. whats needed is a deterrent, or levels of deterrents, because nothing is "theft proof" so we use theft deterrents. If the camera is in plain sight, however, THAT is a deterrent, which is why dummy cameras are sold, which is a fake camera with an LED light showing its operating... some of the more fancier ones rotate or sweep the room with their "lens".

If i were to design something or suggest something, id say layer your deterrents..... Put valuables in the heavy safe that is also bolted to the floor, and have a security system installed.

Some of the larger safes have a hole in the back for a dehumidifier's power cord. They also have holes to be bolted to the floor...

I have to share a 3 car garage with 2 other people, while i don't keep my tools in it (they're in the kitchen actually), i keep my bike and other storage in there. This is mainly to keep that stuff under watch, as my neighbors could leave their door open and someone could make off with my stuff.

I work in the apartment industry, i move often. 5 times in the past 2 years. An ADT system would be cost prohibitive with the installs.

[PhL0aTeR]

Some of the larger safes have a hole in the back for a dehumidifier's power cord. They also have holes to be bolted to the floor...

I have to share a 3 car garage with 2 other people, while i don't keep my tools in it (they're in the kitchen actually), i keep my bike and other storage in there. This is mainly to keep that stuff under watch, as my neighbors could leave their door open and someone could make off with my stuff.

I work in the apartment industry, i move often. 5 times in the past 2 years. An ADT system would be cost prohibitive with the installs.

yeah, my uncle's has a dehumidifier in it. That sucks about having to move so often, and i wasnt thinking about an apartment issue, most of the work i did was on privately owned residences. You are definitely limited on what you can install, but the process of layering deterrents is still there. Ive seen some radio shack door alarm systems that arm with a key and act on magnetic feilds, that when broken send an ear shattering sound into the air. Ive also seen similar ones made of steel which are priced higher, but are harder for the criminal to silence once they go off. these are usually mounted to the door with the magnetic opposite mounted to the jamb with 2 screws each or double sided tape. you can put the same things on the window, but they dont work if the window is broken unless the glass thats holding the opposite falls away from the unit. simple security stickers are often enough to deter a crook.... even though it might be a fake sticker, crooks find easier targets, or a more sure thing, kinda like when they see an unlocked car as opposed to a locked car..... of course they go for the unlocked. There is still a ton of low cost options, creativity is good.....

Wulf, correct me if im wrong, but you came down from denver and bought my AK and 22 right?

[jerrymrc]

I know it sucks. At least bolt it down and get one of these.

http://www.stopthecrime.com

In the old days it would be a mouse trap, fishing line, 2x4 and 12ga OO buck but since the population kind of frowns on that now-a-days......

[PhL0aTeR]

I know it sucks. At least bolt it down and get one of these.

http://www.stopthecrime.com

In the old days it would be a mouse trap, fishing line, 2x4 and 12ga OO buck but since the population kind of frowns on that now-a-days......

nice!