Nashville Metro Police reported that more than 70 percent of guns stolen are from vehicle thefts. In a media release, the Metro Police said that so far from this year, there have been 1,084 guns stolen from cars. The media release also said that from last week alone, 32 guns were reported stolen from cars and trucks in Nashville.
The media release continued, it said that vehicle burglaries typically go hand in hand with vehicle theft. And, that of 62 vehicles stolen last week, 74 percent were considered easy targets due to “the keys were left inside or made available to thieves. One of the 62 vehicles stolen was left running without the driver present.”
The release added, “Just like guns taken from vehicles, these stolen autos are also routinely involved in criminal activities, including carjackings and robberies.”
The Tennessee Star reported earlier this year, that from May, when the number of guns stolen was only 320, that many of the guns were routinely taken from cars in parking garages and those parked outside night clubs, private residences, hotels, and short term rental properties.
In another report, The Tennessee Star said that Nashville Metro Police statement advised residents to lock their cars. “The MNPD strongly encourages Nashvillians to lock their automobile doors, secure any valuables — especially guns, and REMOVE THE KEYS. These simple actions will go a long way in preventing crime and could very well save a life.”
Nashville Public Radio (NPR) reported in 2019 that many states have observed a rise in gun thefts. The station said that “an NPR survey of a sampling of police departments reveals steady increases in reports of guns stolen from vehicle,” and that in some of the cities they survived, the number of guns stolen had doubled.
Lt. Blaine Whited of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department had interviewed with NPR, he said that Nashville youths are usually the ones stealing guns. “The kids know where they’re at. They understand, ‘We check enough door handles, we’re gonna get something.'”
Lt. Whited also said he believed people were too comfortable leaving their guns in their cars.
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Morgan Nicole Veysey is a reporter for The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow her on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
[…] Via The Tennessee Star […]
I ALWAYS lock up my car whenever I am not using it, gun or no gun. I don’t even have a gun, so a car thief would be wasting his or her time by attempting to rob my car. Besides wanting to protect my vehicle from a thief, I don’t want to be penalized by my car insurance company for failing to lock up my car and to use extra security devices on it like a steering wheel club. Besides, I get discounts on my insurance for taking such precautions. I also keep it locked up so as to prevent an innocent, unsuspecting child from entering it unescorted and pulling the emergency break that could cause that poor child to have an accident. Not only would I never be able to forgive myself if a child got harmed due to my negligence, but I myself could face both civil and criminal penalties for my carelessness. That’s a no-brainer!
Shame on those lawful gun owners for giving the tempting the THIEVES who steal their guns.
The real numbers I want to see are, how many of these vehicles are parked outside a business or government facility where conceal carry is prohibited?
Lift the restrictions and if you still have a problem, revoke the owner’s CCL. Then make the owner pay restitution, if there happen to be any victims. There should be a price to pay for being irresponsible with a firearm.
Hmmm, I wonder, why would a rational person who takes the time to carry a firearm out of their house, leave that firearm in a car?
Is it perhaps because for one inane law or another, they cannot keep it on their person when entering a specific area? Of course, you’ll NEVER hear those words come out of a government official’s mouth. They want you to think that Government is infallible, only individuals can be idiots.