The Good News Is

[getsome]

I got a call from a Detective with the Gwinnett County Police this morning and he told me that the Dekalb County Police ( bordering county) had found my stolen S&W 1911 that was taken from my daughters truck a couple of months ago...He didn't have any details but gave me the number for Dekalb so I gave them a call thinking I might be able to go pick up my pistol but now the bad news...The Dekalb Officer I talked to didn't have any info on where the gun was found or anything else...He said the Officer had not turned in any paperwork yet even though they show it was found last weekend...When I asked if I could come pick it up he laughed and said they had to do a ballistics test and send the result to the NCIC and FBI to see if the gun had been used in a crime anywhere which is ok with me but when I asked how long that process took he said maybe 6 months to a year even if it comes back clean and if found to have been used in a crime it I might not ever get it back as it would be evidence....Oh well, easy come easy go I guess...

[MW surveyor]

Just think of it as having your lost/stolen 1911 in "extended storage". Hope that you get it back eventually.

[OldLincoln]

That is a cousin to my concern about carrying a really special gun for SD. If used, you loose; simple as that from what I've read. Maybe some locals are different but most incidences I've read that it is considered evidence and run through the same drill as above.

I really like my PM9, but wouldn't ever consider a special custom $2500 gun for carry.

[JimBianchi]

Seems to me I read on another gin board of a guy who eventually got a lawyer and had to sue to get the PD to release his gun. Once he got a court order, it still a few weeks, but he did get it back.

If I remember the details correctly it was similar, and they had the gun for two years giving him the run a round about evidence, future cases and stuff.

He only stayed on top of it because the gun was a family heirloom and had a lot of sentimental value.

Keep us posted.

I have 6 guns out there somewhere that were stolen in 1989, so I am curious as to your outcome.

[Bawanna]

Count on at least 6 months minimum and most likely the year. It makes me sick to store guns just like yours in varying climate controls untouched for that long not knowing when / if I can ever give them back. It's all up to the lawyers, etc. I recomment the squeaky wheel tactic on these. I'd call probably every 3 months or so. Get a name of the property person so you can bond and become a real burr under their saddle. Just like warranty service be nice, but persistant. If you can cry a little on the phone to emphasize how much you miss that gun it can't hurt, it probably won't help much either but it can't hurt.

I'm just a backup now in the property room but I use to handle it for many years. I even let owners come in and clean their guns periodically if they desired.
Did that quite a few times.

Sometimes the guns are fingerprinted and usually no effort is made to remove that powder etc. I just can't stand an abused neglected gun. But we're not allowed to clean or disassemble in most cases.

At least you know where it is now getsome, its in the hands of the good guys. It might be a long time (and that totally sucks) but at least theres hope that someday you'll get it back and it'll be like Christmas morning. Hopefully it'll be in fine shape for ya to resume your relationship.

[getsome]

Yep thats about all I can do for now and if it was used in a shooting I wouldn't ever want to see it again anyway...I really didn't think it would ever be recovered and was long gone to Mexico and am very curious to see where it turned up....I also don't know how to handle the insurance company...I took a $275.00 claim against it (had $500.00 deductible) because I was so sure it was gone for good but now I wish I hadn't done that...I suppose I could always pay them back the money to keep the gun if thats how it works but I'm just not sure....

[Bawanna]

Most likely the insurance company won't care. They are now officially the owner of your recovered gun. BUT, they don't want it. They wrote off your 250 $ claim a month after you got the check.
The police will inquire or should inquire if there was a settlement. The insurance will be contacted and most of the time they say give the gun back to the owner. They have no means of getting rid of it that's financially feasible.
I get the same thing quite often with cars and other stuff. Just give it back.
I had a 150 horse Mercury Outboard still in the crate. It was still in the crate when we recovered it, insurance paid off but said give it back.

Them insurance companies got more money than Davy Crockett.

Sadly the police will no doubt never tell you where they found it or where or what the circumstances were.

[O'Dell]

I got a call from a Detective with the Gwinnett County Police this morning and he told me that the Dekalb County Police ( bordering county) had found my stolen S&W 1911 that was taken from my daughters truck a couple of months ago...He didn't have any details but gave me the number for Dekalb so I gave them a call thinking I might be able to go pick up my pistol but now the bad news...The Dekalb Officer I talked to didn't have any info on where the gun was found or anything else...He said the Officer had not turned in any paperwork yet even though they show it was found last weekend...When I asked if I could come pick it up he laughed and said they had to do a ballistics test and send the result to the NCIC and FBI to see if the gun had been used in a crime anywhere which is ok with me but when I asked how long that process took he said maybe 6 months to a year even if it comes back clean and if found to have been used in a crime it I might not ever get it back as it would be evidence....Oh well, easy come easy go I guess...

Gwinnett County is still holding my stolen SIG P220, that was recovered last August in a traffic stop. No one will give me any information about when it might be released. I've gone all the way to the DA's office, but have met with nothing but indifference. In fact, without actually saying so, the female ADA handling the case seemed to be happy that they had the pistol instead of me. As long as they hold it, I won't shoot anyone with it.

[getsome]

I definitely got that feeling when talking to the Dekalb Officer...I have never (thank God) had any dealing with the Police before so I didn't know what to expect but I'm thinking that way now... Oh well all I can do is like Bawann says and play the game....Thanks guys....

[Jeremiah/Az]

My daughter had a S/W model 60, that I had given her, taken by the police illegally, read for no reason or criminal activity. It was under her seat in the car, which is perfectly legal in Az. She was told that she could get it back by talking to the individuals that took it. She could never contact them after a year of trying. She never did get the gun back.:32:

[Bawanna]

My daughter had a S/W model 60, that I had given her, taken by the police illegally, read for no reason or criminal activity. It was under her seat in the car, which is perfectly legal in Az. She was told that she could get it back by talking to the individuals that took it. She could never contact them after a year of trying. She never did get the gun back.:32:

How long ago was this? By individual you mean the officer or officers that took it?

Strange she couldn't contact them. They still have to have it someplace. It has to be accounted for somehow.

[earle8888]

I feel for your frustration and angst. But, understanding that the potential exists, as stated above, I still would carry for my defense the best weapon I handle the best! Regardless of cost or value!!!!!

[Rainman48314]

Whose gun is it?

Yep thats about all I can do for now and if it was used in a shooting I wouldn't ever want to see it again anyway...I really didn't think it would ever be recovered and was long gone to Mexico and am very curious to see where it turned up....I also don't know how to handle the insurance company...I took a $275.00 claim against it (had $500.00 deductible) because I was so sure it was gone for good but now I wish I hadn't done that...I suppose I could always pay them back the money to keep the gun if thats how it works but I'm just not sure....

If this was a car, you couldn't claim it because the insurance company would technically own it. Are you sure you even own or can lay claim to this gun?

[WMD]

There were stolen several guns confiscated (by LE) some time ago. THey had been stolen from my father's house. LE held the guns for almost a year. two of these guns were used in a crime. Sadly, my father passed away and I inhereted the guns (while thery were in police custody. I did finally get the guns back, including the ones used in a crime. The guns were in tough shape. As Bawanna says, they had been handled by a number of folks, been fingerprinted, and never been cleaned. They were a sorry mess. The good news is I was able to clean them and there was no permanent damage.

There was also $400 cash recovered by LE that the bad guy stole from my fathers house. I could not get that money becasue the money was on the bad guy's person and the cops could not prove he stole it from my Dad's house. They would not take my word.

[WMD]

oops!

Just re-read my post. Sorry for the bogus spelling. I was to quick with the submit button. Won't happen again! (hopefully!)