My gun is "Stolen", how does this happen?

I agree that giving it back to its orignal owner is the right thing to do. However, given the gun shop's lack of ethics, do you have confidence on them making you whole?

Is there any other recourse for you on this, if they choose not to pay you back?

I've bought a few used guns over the years and always fear something like this will happen.

 

I would call your sheriffs office and double check the callers identity, something smells fishy, I have never heard of anyone having to purchase their own stolen property back.

 

+1

Yup! First move for me would have been to ask for the callers name, badge and callback numbers. Then hang up and redial to authenticate.

 

Yeah, I'm smelling BS on this as well. First of all, the owner from whom it was stolen should have been compensated by now via insurance. And the fact that he altered his opinion of recourse "on the fly" while talking to you doesn't add up. There should be a hard and fast precedent for how issues like this are handled. Have you spoken with the gun dealer yourself? I'd be interested to hear his opinion, and if he was actually contacted.

 

The real question you should be asking yourself is: What personal information did you give the guy during this ruse call?

 

Was the original owner reimbursed from his homeowners insurance on the deal? If he was and he is getting his pistol back then the money isn't really coming from him, but his insurance company.

 

Did the police officer on the phone have the gun's serial number, or did you give it to him?

I'm perplexed about why the officer would ask where you got the gun. As you've said, there is a clear paper trail from the gun store to you. Police should easily be able to follow that trail.

 

Call the LA Sheriff's office (323) 267-4800 and ask for the location of the officer who called you and if this is protocol or not.

 

Not only that, there would have been a check on the gun ser# as well so the fact that it was stolen would have been discovered well before the gun was offered. It would be interesting to go along with this to see what the guy asks for (with the Sheriff's cooperation of course).

 

Try going to another gun store, speak to the owner and explain what has happened. These guy's will know exactly how to handle this as this probably isn't the first time this kind of thing has happened. In the meantime keep putting off the guy that's supposed to come and check out the serial number. Bottom line is you have purchased the gun legally and it's the gun dealer that was selling stolen merchandise. The onus should be on the gun store for selling a "hot" gun. Find out exactly where you stand from multiple, reputable sources before just handing it over. Good luck.

 

I wouldn't take a check from the 'owner' either. If this is a scam, the check will eventually bounce and you will be holding the bag not to mention the fact that the pistol will be in the wind.

 

Sounds like a scam to me.

 

look up the number of your local police department and give them a call. There is a "list" of stolen guns that is available to law-enforcement via the N.C.I.C. data-base etc. Any agency with L.E.A.D.S / N.C.I.C. access can easily run a check. If it turns up stolen on an independent search you know that their story may hold water. If not then you are dealing with someone trying to steal your Sig.

Or better yet, isn't there someone on this board who is in LE that can run a check on this pistol for this guy?

 

That's all you need to hear. Scam.

 

This is why you should always buy your guns from someone out the trunk of their car and then file the serial number off when you get home.

 

You need a new dealer. Mine files the serial numbers off long before I take possession.

 

Out of curiosity, which Sig do you have that was $1,100 used?

 

If the serial number of the gun "keeps popping up in the system", then there must be more to it than meets the eye. I can't believe the LAPD is still actively tracking a stolen gun five years later. Perhaps the person who had it stolen in a "home invasion" filed a Police report and an insurance claim, but was not able to document how HE obtained the gun, or what he paid for it, and the claim was denied. Maybe he sold it to the gun exchange shop himself, and THEN reported it stolen. Maybe other items that he reported as stolen from his home have been turning up, and old police reports are being examined. Lots of "maybe's".

I thought that if you were in possession of stolen property, no matter how you obtained it, the Police could simply take it away from you as evidence and never give it back.

 

I'm pretty sure that Possession of Stolen property also has limitations (ie. buying a gun from a gun shop, or a car from a car dealer type of thing).

However, I do smell BS in the original call. Waiting to see the response from the Sheriff's office when the OP posts the results. Also, OP, if the number showed up and it does turn up to be a scam, I'd make sure you file a report about the phonecall.

 

Hey Envy. you got a camera?

Click a pic of the weapon next to a sign that says "F-Chat Rocks" and post it up.

 

I've read enough.
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