OK lets do something!

[konnon6]

After sitting around the house for days being sick.My friends to me to get out of the house and do something! We went to the parks MDing Found lots of clads nothing great.Then the beaches-scunked there! not even a cheap ring!
Two old houses we checked the walls/floors/drains-p traps/door jams everything___not a dime! So we went to the place in the desert where a old
cabin was( most bikers and off roaders camp there not to mention the hells angels) you don't go there alone!And what did we find?Nails old bricks and stones and a new 38 cal pistol! We called the sheriff on the cellphone and told them,at first they gave us abunch of crap! Then they realized we were serious
and two hours later met us on the main road and we gave him the gun.
It turned out to be stolen but that's all they would tell us. They took are drivers licenses and we told them we were metal detecting.No thanks or nothing.
After that we neverfound anything but aluminum cans pull tabs nails and chunks of metal.I called Kern county sheriff but never got anymore info on the gun.
but we talked about it all the way back home. My ears are bleeding now!
Its funny they never did asked us exactly where we found it.If I were a sheriff
I would have?

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

Interesting story. I have heard of people turning in guns they found, to law enforcement. They got more run-around and lack of answer, and lack of respect, than if they'd just kept the gun as a souvineer. Not that they were expecting any kind of followup or "attaboys", but it was just the feeling that ......... not even the cops cared or wanted to be bothered. Because of this, a friend of mine who's found 3 different handguns on So. CA beaches over the years (2 of them operable), he now keeps them for his own collection. Being a gun-buff himself, he didn't mind adding to his own collection

 

[Pepper2004]

The gun you found will probably end up in a police auction one day. I haven't found a gun but if I do, I'll probably leave it where I found it. Like Tom said, to much run around from the cops. At the rate my detecting is going I'm not going to find a gun.

 

[ivan salis]

well the down side on keeping a found gun without telling the cops is this --- it very well might be a ditched murder weapon (most often stolen guns are the ones used in crimes) if so and now that you've handled it and got your prints all over it (not too bright huh?) - guess what -- bingo --- you would be A #1 on the cops list of murder suspects if your caught with it -- (In my veiw its not very "smart" to have a gun that might have a dead "body" linked to it in your gun collection) -- if you find a gun the smart and right move --- call the cops because, if its stolen or has been lost somehow , I' m very sure the rightful owner would like it back ( I know I would if it was mine) -- plus if its been used to kill someone it might be the clue needed to being a criminal to justice -- just leaving it there means a kid might get his hands on it or some crook who might use it to rob and kill someone with it (maybe you later or a loved one of yours who knows?) ,so just walking away and leaving it behind not a good thing to do -- as a gun --it needs to be "taken care of " in some way --who knows if its not reported as stolen and is not a murder weapon or claimed by its legal owners -- you could legally put in a claim on it and get the gun for yourself --- remember this ---** if you find one its best not to touch or move it --- because once its "moved" from where you found it its "tainted" --- or often ruined as evidence---- it needs to be "in place" for a proper chain of evidence to be mantained by the lab folks -- once moved its hard legally speaking to properly "link" it to the exact spot where it came from-- Ivan

 

[Ant]

If the gun comes up as being used in a crime or if the gun theft is investigated it will be a detective. I think that’s how it works. Sometimes it’s better to either leave it as is or call to tell them how to find it. You don't want to get caught up in a BS gun charge by keeping it, or even worse, being accused of a crime you had nothing to do with.

HH

 

[bigfish31]

I found 32 colt pistol in a crevice while gold mining. It had a little surface rust but it cocked and fired. I called the police and told them I was coming in with a gun. They were a little nervous about it but took it. I then asked if I could have the gun if no one claimed it. He said to call back in 6 mo. I did and they gave it to my sister-in law because she is a law officer. I didn't have a permit, so I let her keep it. It was a nice gun.

 

[Urban Prospector]

Having an illegal gun in your collection WILL endanger the entire collection. The Police will impound all firearms in your possesion, you may or may not have them returned and you may or may not have to spend thousands to clear you name and right to posses. Just a word to the wise, even the insinuation from say a soon to be Ex Wife can cause real problems.

 

[garym94931]

finding the gun was really interesting and the fact that it was stolen wasn't a surprise. sounds like the person who put it there intended to come back & get it when needed or ditched it due to a crime. you did the right thing in calling the cops. recovered guns are returned to their owners unless the gun was used in a crime & then it might be kept as evidence for years until the crime is prosecuted. eventually, it might be destroyed. as for the cops giving no 'thank you' ... keep in mind the old joke... OBC .. they were OBC's ... "obviously bored cops" ... absolutely no biggie. they're just doing their job and they can't be expected to be showing enthusiasm every call they get sent to. but,,,,,, you are right.... they sure should have asked you where you found it as there could have been other evidence there as well. actually, i've sort of expected to make the same kind of find myself sooner or later. by the way, they should have given you, or you should have requested, a receipt for the property. or a copy of the police report. that would allow you to possibly claim the property yourself later if you were so inclined. sometimes that happens, too. i.e. the original owner couldn't be located or was deceased.