handgun found in vehicle bought in estate sale.

[churchmouse]

Honestly I would return the gun or at the very least call the seller. With my luck the gun would get reported as stolen. Not worth the hassle and potential liability. Very likely the estate would not even want it back in which case I would keep it, but if they did want it I would return it.

If it is an estate does any one even know it is missing. Or was ever owned...???

Of course do the right thing but as mentioned folks have bought furniture at estate sales and found things of value

 

[VERT]

These days if you are doing the auction thing the cars have been rifled through by the auction staff so not much of anything past a used condom (seriously) and the hard gum deposits left in them.

Estate sales apparently are not this way.

We sold my Grandfathers car after his passing. If there was anything of value in there we did not look for it. I am sure if there was anything of value in there a family member would have already removed it. You know along with the other stuff that needed removed from the house for safe keeping. (Which did include an unfired, limited edition Colt Python)

 

[Hkindiana]

I know an old gentleman who keeps $5000 cash AND a loaded firearm hidden in his car. That will be a nice find for whomever purchases his vehicle at the estate sale.

 

[churchmouse]

We sold my Grandfathers car after his passing. If there was anything of value in there we did not look for it. I am sure if there was anything of value in there a family member would have already removed it. You know along with the other stuff that needed removed from the house for safe keeping. (Which did include an unfired, limited edition Colt Python)

Good point.

 

[WebSnyper]

I view it as contractual threshold question. When they purchased the SUV was it "SUV and its contents"? Or, just the SUV?

Agreed with this, I was pretty much assuming Estate sale meant contents of vehicle as well.

 

[STFU]

Might not hurt to run the # thru hot guns or some such site just to know if it is stolen, though likely it isn't. Just my

^^^This!^^^

I would not want to be in possession of a weapon that has been reported as "stolen."

 

[VERT]

Good point.

Actually I was to subtle with my point. Every family has a few of those people who tend to “help out” and take possession of things for safe keeping. Problem is those items then don’t make it to the auction. I would have bid on my Grandfathers unfired, .38 spl, 8” barrel Colt Python

 

[VERT]

If it is an estate does any one even know it is missing. Or was ever owned...???

Of course do the right thing but as mentioned folks have bought furniture at estate sales and found things of value

Guns have serial numbers. I bet that some gun owners even write those down and keep them somewhere other then with the gun. You know in case the gun turns up missing. Maybe even in the gun safe. So family finds list, doesn’t find gun, reports gun missing because you know that is what you are supposed to do. Boom car buyer is in possession of a stolen gun worth that can be purchased used at the gunshop for $149.95

 

[Dead Duck]

Or the car buyer is in possession of a gun that got sold....... in a car....... at an estate sale..... along with that box of flares and those jumper cables. The guys family might have the serial numbers somewhere but if they don't find the gun, why wouldn't they think Uncle Bob previously sold or traded it and just didn't write it down?

Not everyone is an accountant numbers nerd with all those fancy sharpened colored pencils. THANK GOD!

 

[Trigger Time]

I stand by my previous statement. I do not believe keeping it is dishonest or dishonorable and certainly not criminal. And if any future accusations were made I would be prepared to fight it in court even over a $100 gun. Right is right and fair is fair.
The family has nothing to do with what the man did with his own property. If he buried gold coins all over his property or hid them in his gas tank and they are sold then it's the property of the new owner. Just because they might discover later that the deceased had gold coins or guns that they never found it still does not rise to proof of theft. He may have even sold them and never recorded it. Some people sell assets and beneficiaries die and never update their will.

If you want to see the true nature of your friends and family then be beside them after a death in the family where they have a stake in what's being distributed. You will see the good people and you will see the truly greedy people who are only out for themselves and monetary gain.

A pistol the man hid in his car most likely is not a dear family heirloom and even if it was I've seen **** bags sell off purple hearts and silver and bronze stars of their relatives. Knowingly. I dont think anything is precious anymore in this world. But that's neither here nor there

 

[VERT]

Or the car buyer is in possession of a gun that got sold....... in a car....... at an estate sale..... along with that box of flares and those jumper cables. The guys family might have the serial numbers somewhere but if they don't find the gun, why wouldn't they think Uncle Bob previously sold or traded it and just didn't write it down?

Not everyone is an accountant numbers nerd with all those fancy sharpened colored pencils. THANK GOD!

That is the the most likely scenario yes. I am not suggesting that keeping the gun is unethical. If a person buys anything at an auction the item and the contents belongs to the buyer. Guns are no different then any other physical item. The difference is that firearms might be something people would actually look for and are marked in such a way that they can be identified. It is my experience that people get all freaky about guns.

 

[Amishman44]

I heard this weekend a guy bought a nice SUV that has factory compartments that are fairly hidden. These are not modifications, all models like this have these spaces, but if you don't know this model apparently you are not likely to know to look here.
Several days later they find the space and a loaded 9mm handgun is in it.
Previous owner passed away, hence the estate sale, was an Indiana resident, and apparently fairly wealthy.
That's all the details I know.
Any legal requirements?
"Right thing to do" suggestions regardless of legalities?
What advice would you give a friend that described this situation?

BTW, they own guns, have LTCH, but not "gun people" and at the time of me hearing this don't know the make, model, or other details of the gun. I'll update when I hear. They "think" they remember it saying "sky" or something similar on it.

I'd say if it was in the vehicle when purchased, that it goes with the vehicle...on the flip side, it's a firearm that can carry some negative repercussions if it's ever reported as missing or stolen by the family?

Me, personally, I would probably let the family know (somehow) that I have it, that I own it, and just wanted to let them know the nature and circumstances of my acquisition of said firearm.

I would also let them know that if they wanted it back, it would have to be a legal battle as it came with the vehicle...but otherwise, it's now on record as not being 'stolen'!

 

[spec4]

It didn't "come with the vehicle". Clearly the family didn't know or forgot that the relative had it in the vehicle. It presumably has value. What do you think they were having an estate sale for? They wanted to liquidate the assets and again presumably divide the proceeds between the heirs.

I'd take the high road and call whoever I dealt with, offering to return it to the estate. I shave daily and have to look in the mirror every morning to do so.

 

[MindfulMan]

It didn't "come with the vehicle". Clearly the family didn't know or forgot that the relative had it in the vehicle. It presumably has value. What do you think they were having an estate sale for? They wanted to liquidate the assets and again presumably divide the proceeds between the heirs.

I'd take the high road and call whoever I dealt with, offering to return it to the estate. I shave daily and have to look in the mirror every morning to do so.

I like the way you think, Mr. !

 

[Dead Duck]

It didn't "come with the vehicle". Clearly the family didn't know or forgot that the relative had it in the vehicle. It presumably has value. What do you think they were having an estate sale for? They wanted to liquidate the assets and again presumably divide the proceeds between the heirs.

I'd take the high road and call whoever I dealt with, offering to return it to the estate. I shave daily and have to look in the mirror every morning to do so.

Maybe it's time to grow a beard.
Besides, cars should come with guns as part of their security feature.

 

[SmileDocHill]

Ok, for the curious like me, I got more info. and saw a pic.
Made by SKYY. Company apparently started by an executive from Kel-Tek that left to become a competitor. They were only able to keep the name for a short while because of a lawsuit from the vodka company with the same name. Company is now sccy.
Gun is an inexpensive single stack 9mm that could possibly fetch $200 if you found a sucker. It looks like a keltek. looked up the model and reviews are mixed with the majority being bad.
I'm usually in the camp that would see if there is surviving family and let them know of it. Apparently this guy was very wealthy so the monetary value of this $150 gun is a non factor.
The make model and value combined with its obvious role of a cheap truck gun almost guarantees there isn't a "heirloom " factor here.
The sale was over an hour away...
All that to say, the possible time sucking rabbit hole this could turn into isn't worth the value of the gun to me let alone the estate that just sold at least 2 Ferraris that I know of.

 

[Dead Duck]

SCCY?

Bummer. I'd rather find an old Red Ryder BB Gun.

 

[Old Dog]

My approach would be Don't ask, don't tell" and move on. It's only a $150 gun. Let me ask this... if it was a tool box with $150 worth of tools in it, would we be having this discussion?

 

[KellyinAvon]

SCCY?

Bummer. I'd rather find an old Red Ryder BB Gun.

You'll shoot your eye out

 

[doddg]

My foster Dad as he aged got rather eccentric with Alzheimers setting in as well.
In fact he spent his last days not knowing who Mom was, very tough on her, as it would be for any of us.
In the next to the last house they had he made holes in the basement block and stored guns, rifles, silver and other items for safe keeping in storage places he created.
He was quite the craftsman, so this was no biggie for him. An electrician by trade, but as with many men of his generation (born 1902) he could do it all in construction.
We were not close after I left home to go to college, got married, but ironically enough, Mom was hired on as a 6th grade teacher at a school I taught High School at in Marietta, OH. where Dad did this "stashing."
I never asked, but always wondered if Mom knew where everything was stashed so she could get it all auctioned off before she moved to their last house.
I doubt if Dad remembered where he put everything.
There are probably things behind those concrete block that Dad put back in the wall to hide things.