Gun owners need to take care that their firearms don't get stolen. When guns are stolen, they are in the hands of criminals from the moment they are removed from the rightful owners home or vehicle. And they may ultimately end up being sold to another criminal whose intentions are more violent than burglary.
A lot of guns get stolen every year, and one loose in a vehicle is awfully easy to nab. I haven't seen statistics for Midland, TX, in a while. But in nearby Lubbock -- population 252,506 in 2015 -- "So far this year, 170 firearms have been stolen from unattended vehicles in Lubbock, and more than 350 firearms were stolen from vehicles in 2017, according to police." Source: Police stress vehicle gun thefts in Lubbock, urge responsibility.
Nationwide ATF reported that 9,062 pistols and 2,126 revolvers were stolen in 2017. Source: Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Theft/Loss Report. Although those were totals, not just vehicle burglaries.
In any event, there are plenty of hot guns on the black market. Some of them kill, e.g., case of Kate Steinle.
Needless to say, gun owners need to tighten up the security for their weapons. A friend told me that he uses a cable lock to secure his handgun to the bracket holding the seat to the floor of his vehicle when he leaves it in the vehicle. Smart idea. A determined thief could get it, but the time involved serves as a practical deterrent.
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1:14 PM 9/17/2018
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