Law abiding CCW holder with LOST GUN question

[droolingmoron]

Hello and thank you for this forum.

Dad was an FBI agent, so I have huge respect for ALL of you who serve us daily by using your 1* to keep the rest of us safe.

I am a law-abiding citizen and advocate of 2nd Amendment/CCW rights. I posess a valid Concealed Carry permit, and something has happened to me that I'm 1) a little embarassed over, and 2) really need to know how you would advise me to proceed (I understand that, this being The Internet, all caveats apply).

I went to my range last Sunday afternoon, and wrung out my Kahr 9mm with a very satisfying range session. Came home late and tired, and got up and went to work the next day. I had asked my wife to take the car for an oil change at our local WallyWorld auto department, the same car I took to the range. I had left my Kahr, holstered, under the front seat the night before as I ran into a convenience store on the way home, and neglected to remove it when I got home.

She picked up the car from the oil change, and mentioned that when she got home, she noticed that my holster was sitting in the floorboard, just in front of the driver's seat.
Empty.

I've searched carefully in the car, in the house, in the other car, and everywhere it even POSSIBLY could be. I KNOW it was there when I got home last night, locked the car, and nobody opened the car until my wife got in and took it for the oil change.

Between dropping it off and picking it up at WallyWorld, the gun got gone.

It is legally registered to me, having been purchased by an FFL transfer from an out-of-town dealer to my local gunshop.

Is there ANYTHING I can do to recover this gun?
How would I go about approaching the WallyWorld autoshop manager?

Am I liable for anything done with the gun?
Do I need to notify anyone?

Is there anything else I need to know that I HAVEN'T asked about?

I am aware of my mistakes. I realize I have lived up to my screenname, and that's why I chose it.
No chastisement need occur.

Thanks for any help you can provide,
Ben/DroolingMoron.

[Super Six 5]

You need to call the police, 12 hours ago. A report needs to be filed, your gun needs to be entered into NCIC and an investigation needs to be done.

[Joeyd6]

Yep!

Obviously it was stolen! Call the police!

[TX-LEO]

Uhhh Dude, you have a stolen gun report to make. Which should have been made before you posted this message.

The problem you will face though is you need to prove you bought the gun before it'll be entered as stolen.

[phantasm]

In NY you need to register all firearms (non-rifles/non-shotguns) with the state, so there would be a record of ownership, and also the firearm would be listed on your permit.

[Taz_bb2]

All the above and after the report was entered with your local PD/SO, I'd pay Wallyworld a visit and ask who worked on your car. When they furnish the name, inform the manager that they are now a suspect in the case and the name will be forwarded to the investigating officer. :D

Knowing Wallyworld, they'll probably trip over each other trying to cooperate. That is not a situation that they want to deal with.

[phantasm]

All the above and after the report was entered with your local PD/SO, I'd pay Wallyworld a visit and ask who worked on your car. When they furnish the name, inform the manager that they are now a suspect in the case and the name will be forwarded to the investigating officer. :D

Knowing Wallyworld, they'll probably trip over each other trying to cooperate. That is not a situation that they want to deal with.

OR after you state that the vehicle was there, the detectives could be allowed to do their job.

[Ispbear]

Dude,

Sorry for you feeling like a moron for getting your gun stolen. But get over it and call the police and make a report. Guess what will happen if someone gets shot by your pistol and you haven't reported it stolen yet. I'm sure the officers are going to "believe you," when they show up on your doorstep and you tell them it was stolen but you just hadn't told anyone yet.
Can you say some long hours in the interrogation room?

Get the Point?

[Somebody]

And let us know if they catch the guy.

I dunno about the rest of these guys, but I always like to know when we get results.

[Creeker]

At the risk of being "Tail End Charlie"...

Please make full use of your tax dollar.

We work for you, but don't you ever DARE to throw that in our faces or we are liable to give you your dime back and tell you to call again.

[TX-LEO]

Doesnt seem like the guy is much concerned about it.

[droolingmoron]

Doesnt seem like the guy is much concerned about it.

Wow! I work a full-time job and a 30-hour a week part time job to support my family, and because I'm not Johnny-On-the-Spot with a reply, the 'guy doesn't care'!?!? :confused::rolleyes:

Hmmm...

Well, I'll ignore the negativity, and just say:

Thanks to each of you who have replied in an attempt to be helpful. When I am home this weekend for 45 straight minutes besides sleeping 5-6 hours/night, I'm going to call and make the report. I realize some of you may say "do it this second", and I understand the urgency.

I'm going to do it. I'm going to take the risk of doing it on my timeline, though.

Debate that if you like, but that's not my horse race.
Question, though: Is my gun gone, or what are the chances (besides slim and none) of actually getting it back in one piece?

[Super Six 5]

Well, after the guy who stole it or the guy he sold it to shoots someone, you'll have some explaining to do about why it wasn't reported sooner.

Fast forward to a long drawn out trial, if they catch the guy, so it may be years before it's released from evidence. By then it may be in such bad shape that you don't even want the weapon anymore.

I'd be less worried about when I was going to get it back and more worried about the heat I'd face if someone used my gun in the commission of a serious crime.

Also, be aware that some states may have laws regarding the reporting of lost or stolen weapons and provide a strict time frame that you can report it before you yourself face criminal charges for your negligence.

If I may offer a piece of unsolicited advise, don't store you guns under the seat of your car. It's irresponsible and reflects negatively on those who are responsible gun owners.

BTW, "moron" the officer from Texas was refering to you not caring because of your lax attitude towards the reporting of the firearm, not because you had not replied to the answers provided. You further backed this up by stating "I'm going to take a chance and do this on my own timeline."
I hope that should your firearm be used to harm someone, the victim or their family files civil suit for damages because of your negligence.

[Creeker]

...
I hope that should your firearm be used to harm someone, the victim or their family files civil suit for damages because of your negligence.

While I don't necessarily "hope" for it, I would worry about the civil liability of not reporting it immediately and ignoring the seriousness of it. You seem to be pretty lackadaisical of your responsibilities in this matter... and a poor example of a CCW holder, which many of us Champion, despite the way we are portrayed in the national media.

Some Agencies will take a theft report over the telephone, but they will need all of the information on the vehicle, the location and the firearm.

I strongly urge you to file this report, ASAP.

[droolingmoron]

If I may offer a piece of unsolicited advise, don't store you guns under the seat of your car. It's irresponsible and reflects negatively on those who are responsible gun owners.

I don't. I keep them clean & serviceable, locked up at all times in the house. My original post admitted my mistake in popping it under the seat after my range session, while running in to the store, and forgetting to take it in the house when I got home. I assure you, I am a responsible gun owner, and just like all of you, LEO's or not, a human being; and as such, fall short of 100% perfection in my carrying out of that responsibility. Perfection is the goal. Usually not the reality for human beings, including LEO's. :cool:

BTW, "moron" the officer from Texas was refering to you not caring because of your lax attitude towards the reporting of the firearm, not because you had not replied to the answers provided. You further backed this up by stating "I'm going to take a chance and do this on my own timeline."

That was a pretty slick ad hominem attack, by calling me "moron" instead of my chosen user name, there, SixPack. If, after discovering the advice to report it, my choice to wait the 3 more days until this weekend makes it a "lax attitude", you're welcome to that opinion. :cool:
Also, you mis-quoted me. I did NOT say "I'm going to take a chance and do this on my own timeline", which YOU placed in quotation marks. You can re-read my post, or take my word for it that it says "I'm going to take the risk of doing it on my timeline, though." Take the risk. Another way of saying: Assume the Responsibility for the choice. ;)

I came here to this forum, took the time to register, honestly and courteously sought advice on how to go about doing the right thing. Then, I agree to go and "do the right thing" but it's not on your timeline, so that makes me a lax, irresponsible gun owner, and makes you an unreasonable, bellicose power-hungy jackbooted thug. :rolleyes:
...but I DON'T really believe that about you, SuperSix 5, and I would be really disappointed to discover that you really believe the mud being slung at me, given my seeking out advice on how to go about doing the right thing. :confused:

I hope that should your firearm be used to harm someone, the victim or their family files civil suit for damages because of your negligence.

Thanks for the well-wishes. That's really nice of you, sir! If it took me 3 extra days to report it because of my work schedule, and it turns out badly like you hope, then I hope they file suit, too, and bury me under the dungeon for negligence. :rolleyes: Geez. I'll make you a Glamor License plate while I'm in the pokey.