Worst feeling of all time.

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My house was robbed! I got home from up north to find my apartment destroyed, ransacked, and looted.

They got LOTS of stuff, but nothing worse than the two pistols they found and stole.

The guns weren't the most valuable thing taken, but it's the worst feeling that a criminal now has that S&W .45 and that 9mm Patriot.

I was totally gonna take them up north with me, but I couldn't afford the ammo to shoot them....

This has tarnished my perfect record of responsible gun-ownership... I can't believe my babies are out on the streets. What if they shoot a cop? What if they shoot themselves? What if they come back and shoot me? I just thank God that I had my python with me. (Yes, I OC a python when I am in marquette county. Don't lecture me)


Has anyone ever had firearms stolen from them? I just want to stop thinking about this shit.

Anyone know where someone might try to sell stolen guns?

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Well, hopefully you had the serial numbers written down somewhere, and can make a complete an detailed police report.

If you include the serial numbers of those guns in a police report, they will be entered into the FBI's database. If ANYONE tries to pawn or sell them to a dealer, those numbers will come up as STOLEN and they will be apprehended...

I have a serial number database for all my guns, stereo gear, bicycles, computers, cell phones, etc. in multiple places. I have a copy on my computer, I've emailed it to myself, so I can get at it from ANY computer (it's archived in my GMail acct), plus I've put it on my cell phone, and have multiple paper printouts stashed in various places--including off-site with my sister who lives 10 hours away...

Good luck getting them back. Getting robbed is a MAJOR bummer, I know.

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I hope you made them work for it by having them secured by at least 1/2" thick steel door safe bolted to the floor.


added: :cuss:& :banghead:

And a plug: http://www.elginkey.com/corporate_security.htm

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Spongebob, That really sucks!!

What part of Milwaukee do you live in? I lived in the 1500 block of North Jefferson, (Near Juneau & Water) and I regularly caught people trying to break into the place I rented, along withmy neighbors homes.

Sadly those guns will most likely be traded for crack or some other useless product by theanimalistic sub-human scum that robbed you. I hope they end up getting caught soon and yor stuff is returned without any damage.

You may wanna take a trip to any local flea markets or 7-mile fair, I recovered some stolen tools there once.

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Thank goodness the 48 hour reporting requirement hasn't passed yet, or has it?

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Unless they get back in your hands I'm predicting this will stick in your craw forever.

It's been 12 years since my house was burgled and an H&R 9 shot .22 was taken along with the small safe it was invarious kids related stuff. It bothers me to this day for the same reasons you express. The best I can do with it is that they didn't take my .22 rifle and .410 shotgun that weren't locked up but better hidden and that I gave the serial number to the police and they took fingerprints.

I have little faith in most security actually preventing this with a determined and knowledgeable thief but I nowhave digital security cams recording and sendingme an email saying something is up. I have a better safe. My Glock is with me most of the time but especially when I travel. The rifle collectionhas grown too and is in lockdown but I will never feel confident that my things are truly safe.

It still bothers me so much I felt the anguish again when I read your post. It certainly is foremost in my mind whenever I deal with security issues. I would be surprised if anyone gets over it.

My condolences. When I lived in Wis there were no pawn shops and even here in TX they have laws to follow about this so your guns are probably going to be a part of life "outside-the-lines" now. That Sucks. It's times like these I want to install a GPS in each of them. I don't care if the police know where I am with my guns in this regard. I'm not doing anything I shouldn't and being able to pinpoint where they are would be better than still twisting over it 12 years later and counting.

(Of course if SHTF I'd yank the GPS's out! lol)

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Some random, related thoughts that may or may not help. Just thinking out loud:

I guess the days of hiding your sword in yourstraw thatchroof are over.

But, what changed? Where did this idea,"do everything possible to keep guns out of criminal hands" come from?

Let me try an idea on you. What if there were so many guns, so many people that had guns, that nobody cared whether a criminal had a gun? Basically, once most everybody has a gun, the distinction becomes whether any givenperson isa criminal, not whether he was a criminal with a gun.

I imagine in years past nobody really cared whether criminals had weapons. It was just assumed a violent criminal would be likely to have a weapon. Lots of weapons around in earlyAmerica.

So, whocame up withthis ideathat we have to do our utmost to keep guns out of criminal hands, ormore precisely, that we are somehow culpable if a criminal steals our gun?And when did they start spreading the idea?

Is it really a good idea to set ourselves up to feel bad if we are the victim of a crime? Or is it maybe morea casewhere it works to the advantage ofanti-gunners or some other interest to use our own sense of responsibility against us?

Think about it. What if you could just get an ideaspreading insociety. Especially one that might, uninspected,be readily accepted by responsible people.

I well remember the explanation forbeing very carefulnot to lose an M-16 in the military "because it might fall into criminal hands and being automatic, lots of people could get hurt." Nothing less than an appeal toa person's sense of social responsibility. Little mention of arms-dealing, theft of government property, etc.

I'm betting, too, there is little or no mention of the responsibility for a crime victim to be able to protecthimself. You only hear that from our side of the gun-controlissue.

So, whocame up with the idea?And when?

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Good post, Citizen.

I see the "criminal getting it and using it for bad" as a secondary aspect. Mainly - I want MY gun back, Dammit!It's notyours - go get your own and I have no responsibility for providing you with one!

Describing someone as a criminal and then talking about his right to self defense are mixingtwo different things. As a human - not preying on others - he has a right to defense but it is his use of it in offense is what is... offensive to my sensibilities. What was there for good now has a high chance of being used for bad. And the f*&^$r has my gun too!

On the idea of the abundance of guns such that stealing one is less common, needed, etc... ( Is that what you meant?) I can see the math working out that the general attitude would have a way diff dynamic than what we have presently. The scarcity/abundance dynamic is valid in almost anything you apply it to - In my experience. Whether it's food for kids, love for others, generosity in general you can create pain &suffering with long lasting implications by having the attitude they are scarce. All one has to do is give what you seek to see the rich rewards. When my kids were growing up they had food readily available all the time except for the hour before cooked meals. They ate in moderation simply because they were never that hungry. Not one of them has an eating disorder from me not treatingthem like food was scarce and over-controlling their diets.

The idea that someone with a gun is a criminal is the propaganda of the grabbers. Plain and simple. They beat the hell out of that drum so the youth believe it like the sun rising every day. Becomes an assumption without arguement that way.

When did it start? My guess is when cities started getting so populated that whole generations grew up without a connection to what it really takes to live off the earth and what nature really is. Nature's lessons are usually life and death matters. From therelife in the citybecomes a mental exercise easily gotten off track because the guidelines nature provides are limited to a mental exercise instead of a clear threat like in the woods. Or the clearness of making your own food and shelter supplies - or you don't have any! One can also be talked out of taking care of oneself if the danger is not as simple as looking at a bear.

The idea that a crime victim not being expected or even allowed to protect himself has to be the most evil thing that evercome aboutin this world. I am stupified when I hear someone from the UK say we are animals for being armed and actually shooting someone who is trying to kill uswhen over there you can go to jail just trying to be prepared to defend yourself! I can only imagine the kings and despots of old wanting this and here the actual sheep of UK wish us to be the same! Amazing brainwashing going on there!

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CommonMan101 wrote:

SNIP When did it start?

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I wonder. When did it become illegal for felons to buy or possess guns? Was it the 1968 gun control act? Earlier?

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lockman wrote:

I hope you made them work for it by having them secured by at least 1/2" thick steel door safe bolted to the floor.


added: :cuss:& :banghead:

And a plug: http://www.elginkey.com/corporate_security.htm

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Ripped the 4 inch- lag bolts out of my wood floor! That's comin out of my security deposit...

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A four-inch lag bolt ripped from a floor board or a floor joist? One should be expected and is a waste of a lag bolt and the other is difficult and highly unlikely.

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Your guns could easily turn up at a pawn shop to help feed someones addiction. In any case, it isn't your fault if criminals use what they stole improperly. In all probability the criminals already had guns and stole your guns because they were worth money. If they do use your guns for violence they just would've used other guns. You just can't stop them from being armed. They'll steal guns from other people, make zip guns, etc.

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Master Doug Huffman wrote:

A four-inch lag bolt ripped from a floor board or a floor joist? One should be expected and is a waste of a lag bolt and the other is difficult and highly unlikely.

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With modern joists not a good Idea to put lags thru them. Weaken the top cord on engineered I-joists and you can be in some trouble. Even with older joists you only have 1.5" of width still not a good idea to stick lags into them. Bolts with an expanding flange thru your plywood floor is your best bet.

So sorry to hear you got ripped off, I have had my tools stolen several times, the feeling of violation is terrible. I wish you the best.

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Your best bet is to use grade 8 bolts with a steel plate under the floor and the peen the ends of the bolts or use red locktite and double nuts to make it hard to disassemble.

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You live in a reputable area?

Don't overlook the possibility of an inside job (aka 'maintenance')...

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TechnoWeenie wrote:

You live in a reputable area?

Don't overlook the possibility of an inside job (aka 'maintenance')...

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This is why I keep my gun ownership on the down low around my neighbors. Some are trustworthy, and some aren't. But they all know where I keep my stuff.

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Cheer Up, I will tell you why, because you "will" get one or both of your gun's back and when you do you will have long forgotten about them so it will be like getting 2 cool presents < .

And there will be no more break'in as far as you are concerned , you will be "educated" and never again will that have the smallest chink in your armor to exploit.

Obviously they did not steal your full time carry peace (( tell me you carry full time & you still have your #1 gun right ? ))

You are now "hardened" but I hope not bitter my friend.

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Spongebob wrote:

This has tarnished my perfect record of responsible gun-ownership

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You were the victim of a crime. How, by any stretch of the imagination, does that make YOU irresponsible?

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Armond Reese wrote:

Spongebob wrote:

This has tarnished my perfect record of responsible gun-ownership

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You were the victim of a crime. How, by any stretch of the imagination, does that make YOU irresponsible?

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The antis have brainwashed us to believe we must be infallable.

They are aided by other gun owners who are hypersensitive to bad press.

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My robbery was a long time ago. In 1975 I had 3 handguns stolen. One was a Stoegers .22 Luger that was only 6 months old. The second one was a .22 revolver. I can't remember the brand. The third was a .45 flintlock pistol that I made from a kit. They missed my .45 Llama. It was in plain sight in it's box. I alwaysfigured the thief couldn't read!!! LOL

I did get one of them back. In 1994I got a call from a State Policeman I know. (I live about 3 miles from there baracks). My Luger had turned up in a pawn shop in Nashville, TN. The owner checked the ser. # and sure enough it showed up as stolen. The only thing I was asked was if I had received an insurance settlement on the guns. I had not!!! The Luger was back in my hands. The blueing was in bad shape. It had a few scratches, and the magazine was a mess. I still had the extra mag that came with it. I still have this gun. It's not as good looking as when I bought it new, but it shoots as good as the day I got it, and it is back home. When I got it back, the State Police told me it was a record for the longest time to recover a stolen firearm in WV.

Beleive me, Have faith!!! I hope you get your firearms back.

Greengo

In the hills of WV