So what does happen if you buy a "stolen" gun?

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  • SEIndSAM

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    I was reading a post on the Smith & Wesson forum from a guy in Maine that purchased a stolen gun from a dealer at a gun show in Maine. He later learned it was stolen and had to return the handgun to the Police as evidence and was out $1000 because under Maine law the dealer had no liability.

    What are the laws in Indiana? If you buy a firearm from a dealer in state or at an instate gun show is the dealer liable? If you had kept the receipt and paperwork that came with the gun and you could prove you bought the gun from dealer XYZ on a certain date?

    I always assumed that if you bought the gun from a private individual you were on your own and had to suck up the loss, do you have any additional protection buying from a dealer?
     

    serpicostraight

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    im not sure about indiana but i have a hearing this thursday in phoenix to get my stolen gun back that turned up in a pawnshop. ill let everybody know how it turns out after hearing.
     

    lrahm

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    im not sure about indiana but i have a hearing this thursday in phoenix to get my stolen gun back that turned up in a pawnshop. ill let everybody know how it turns out after hearing.
    Bset wishes on getting it back. Keep cool there, it nasty this time of year. 90 degrees at night 120 during the day. Plus it's their rainy season so the have 80 percent humidity. No freez line so their water line is 6 inches under hot sand...no cool showers.
     
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    TotinOne

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    How does one "learn" that a gun they bought is stolen? I mean, the last gun I bought was from an individual... how do I find out?
    Better yet, how does one check that a gun they are about to buy is stolen or not?
     

    SEIndSAM

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    How does one "learn" that a gun they bought is stolen? I mean, the last gun I bought was from an individual... how do I find out?
    Better yet, how does one check that a gun they are about to buy is stolen or not?


    I am assuming that when the buyer goes through a dealer, the weapons serial number is put on the form 4473. If that's the case, that could be the way the Police traced the gun back to the buyer. Since you don't fill out this form for a private sale, there is no way the Police could connect the gun to you unless you had it repaired or did something else that would put it's number in the system.

    It would be nice if there was an online clearing house with serial numbers of stolen guns that one could check before making a purchase.
     

    Drakkule

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    It would be nice if there was an online clearing house with serial numbers of stolen guns that one could check before making a purchase.

    I agree 100%, i would like there to be a phone number that could be called to run the numbers, if law enforcement has the capability, there should be a way. I'm lucky, my cousin is a Sgt. and he will run numbers for me.
     

    BarryJaxon

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    "I'm lucky, my cousin is a Sgt. and he will run numbers for me."

    That use to be against the law just like getting a copper relative to run someone`s plate number.Don`t know about now tho.
     

    JoshuaW

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    How does one "learn" that a gun they bought is stolen? I mean, the last gun I bought was from an individual... how do I find out?
    Better yet, how does one check that a gun they are about to buy is stolen or not?

    You can call your police department and see if they will run the serial number. The sellers (dealer or individual) have no real way of telling. The police maintain a national database of stolen guns, so they can check.

    I am assuming that when the buyer goes through a dealer, the weapons serial number is put on the form 4473. If that's the case, that could be the way the Police traced the gun back to the buyer. Since you don't fill out this form for a private sale, there is no way the Police could connect the gun to you unless you had it repaired or did something else that would put it's number in the system.

    It would be nice if there was an online clearing house with serial numbers of stolen guns that one could check before making a purchase.


    The only time the police are going to dig through 4473s to identify a gun and its owner is if it was used in a crime. If a mysterious gun turns up and no one claims it, it sits in an evidence locker.


    "I'm lucky, my cousin is a Sgt. and he will run numbers for me."

    That use to be against the law just like getting a copper relative to run someone`s plate number.Don`t know about now tho.

    Different situation entirely. The plate would directly tie back to an individual. Running it through a stolen gun database will only report back if it has been reported stolen. If it hasnt been reported stolen (even if it was stolen) it wont be in the database. There is no gun registry (outside of state registries and the NFA)
     

    Westside

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    I have a relative who works at a pawn shop and he says that if he buys something and it is later determined to be stolen he is out the money he paid for the item as the item becomes evidence and is then returned to the rightful owner or sold at police auction. I am assuming a gun would fall in the same boat.
     

    BarryJaxon

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    "Different situation entirely. The plate would directly tie back to an individual. Running it through a stolen gun database will only report back if it has been reported stolen."

    Not what I said,using that as an example,call your local PD and ask`em!
     

    serpicostraight

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    Bset wishes on getting it back. Keep cool there, it nasty this time of year. 90 degrees at night 120 during the day. Plus it's their rainy season so the have 80 percent humidity. No freez line so their water line is 6 inches under hot sand...no cool showers.
    i dont have to go out there they are gonna call me and do my part over the phone. but i do have someone showing up in court for me to get gun back after hearing. it looks like i will get it back but dont know for sure until hearing.
     
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