Gun Stolen At The Gun Show
We had a 6" Smith 586 stolen today.
We noticed it almost immediately but could not identify a suspect. We reported the theft to the show promoter and asked him to make an announcement and alert the police working the show and anyone working the doors. He did not.
We also asked him to have a police officer, of which there were several working the show, come over and take a theft report. He did. TWO HOURS later.
We won't be going to Houston for a gun show anytime soon, nor any other "High Caliber" gun show promoted by Todd Bean.
We noticed it almost immediately but could not identify a suspect. We reported the theft to the show promoter and asked him to make an announcement and alert the police working the show and anyone working the doors. He did not.
We also asked him to have a police officer, of which there were several working the show, come over and take a theft report. He did. TWO HOURS later.
We won't be going to Houston for a gun show anytime soon, nor any other "High Caliber" gun show promoted by Todd Bean.
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David - I hope you spread the word well.
Doug0 -
Man, that is not good, sounds like something needs to be done about the entrance and exit's at gun shows. This is the secod post in a couple days about this happening 0 -
Bummer.
Hope the perp gets caught and goes to jail.0 -
You don't cable your handguns??
Don0 -
quote:Originally posted by dongizmo
You don't cable your handguns??
Don
Honestly I dont see why you should have to chain lock everything down to the table.. Shouldn't have to, What is yours is yours, not theirs.. But i guess the tables have changed.0 -
sat. at the harrisburg pa. show a man tried to steal a pistol and was caught and arrested, taken out in handcuffs. i was not close to it, and i only saw the state police come in. eastbank. 0 -
As much as it hurts me to say this: Shouldn't you give the atf a call? 0 -
Post a complete description here including the full serial number. The more people who have the information, the better. Good luck. 0 -
i thought we cant bash people here?
dave, time to use the 20 foot wire thru all the trigger guards on your table. serious. [:(]
or, do what i do, display them in a clear top display case.0 -
quote:Originally posted by dongizmo
You don't cable your handguns??
Don
+1
a sheet of 3\4 in. plywood cut to the table top size, some vinyl or plastic coated cable in lengths affixed crosswise and secured by screws, threaded through the trigger guards would have prevented this loss. use it at every show. trust no one [;)][V]0 -
Up here it is required for dealers to have them secured some way. Many have a cable that has connections in several places if connection is broken an alarm goes off... works pretty good!!! This summer a guy forgot to turn his on and he did get stiffed though! Most have an indicator light that shows when it is on...to me that is a bad idea!!! 0 -
Take a 5# hammer and put some ketchup on it and let it dry. Put it on the table. Customers will see it and ask what it is. Tell them it is for smashing hands that pick up guns without asking. 0 -
We have experience with that promoter too. He is not well received around this neck of the woods. He should have made an announcement immediately as if to warn any potential buyers too.
We have had two guns lifted at shows. One they caught the guy as he tried to leave our area. We were alerted by another dealer who was watching this perp and security jumped on his butt. Later he rolled and pleaded guilty to avoid a felony conviction.
The other one lifted a Para P10 at a show. We noticed a gun missing and alerted security and the promoter immediately. Announcement was made within 5 minutes of what was missing, serial number and that guns would be checked on the way out (ploy). It worked, they saw a guy coming out of the bathroom that seemed a bit jittery. A dealer went in the bathroom and found the gun in the trash container. Cops held this perp at the door but he denied everything. Cops said they would check for prints on the gun and he admitted he had looked at it before and his prints would be on it. They had to let him go.
Both turned out good that we recovered the weapons.
Another show had a juvenile attempt to steal a gun. He was spotted and threw the gun down and ran out the front door. I saw the commotion and ran out the side door to chase him. He was fast but I cut him off and closed a bit. By then an undercover cop was in the chase in his car. After a chase of 1000 yards he was caught by the cop. After a brief struggle he was in cuffs. Both of us were out of breath.
He told cops that he was brought to the show by his uncle who directed him to steal a certain high dollar pistol. The uncle had left the building and was waiting for the kid to return with the gun. He did not see the chase but Police found him and arrested him on the spot based on what the juvenile said.0 -
So...Houston still sucks huh?
bummer.
I guess the promoter didn't want to braodcast negative information.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Jacob2008
quote:Originally posted by dongizmo
You don't cable your handguns??
Don
Honestly I dont see why you should have to chain lock everything down to the table.. Shouldn't have to, What is yours is yours, not theirs.. But i guess the tables have changed.
Wanna buy a bridge?0 -
quote:Originally posted by Jacob2008
quote:Originally posted by dongizmo
You don't cable your handguns??
Don
Honestly I dont see why you should have to chain lock everything down to the table.. Shouldn't have to, What is yours is yours, not theirs.. But i guess the tables have changed.
jacob,
That has been SOP up here for years, it makes the customer ask before handling, some thieves will tag team, one keeps you busy, while another loots, myself I keep handguns in a glass top case[;)]
Some shows minors are not allowed without a parent also.[:0]
Don0 -
My question is why did you rely on the pimp....I mean promoter to report the theft to the police? WTH didn't you do it yourself?
Anyway....I hate fuggin thieves.[:(!]0 -
that sux! sorry to hear this... 0 -
quote:Originally posted by dongizmo
quote:Originally posted by Jacob2008
quote:Originally posted by dongizmo
You don't cable your handguns??
Don
Honestly I dont see why you should have to chain lock everything down to the table.. Shouldn't have to, What is yours is yours, not theirs.. But i guess the tables have changed.
jacob,
That has been SOP up here for years, it makes the customer ask before handling, some thieves will tag team, one keeps you busy, while another loots, myself I keep handguns in a glass top case[;)]
Some shows minors are not allowed without a parent also.[:0]
Don
I go to every show I get a chance to... if I cant go in alone and dad doesnt want to go, i might have to make a phone call [:D]0 -
The last gun show I went to ( in Australia) the promoters used metal detectors on both entrance and exit doors. This with ample security at each door seemed to deter thieves. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Jacob2008
I go to every show I get a chance to... if I cant go in alone and dad doesnt want to go, i might have to make a phone call [:D]
Jacob,
It would be a good idea to call ahead.[8D]
This is the show that is "close" to me, if your read the rules on the bottom left,
http://www.gibraltartrade.com/Shows/GunShow/index.html
"ADULTS ONLY. NO ONE UNDER 18 ADMITTED
WITHOUT PARENT.
PICTURE I.D. REQUIRED"[:0]
if you read the vendor contract, it states:
"All firearms must be secured by rope or cable."
I think it is better to be safe than sorry.
Don0 -
The guns are "secured" by alarm cables. We had 16 tables full of guns, so we can't keep the alarm on all the time, or we would be forever running back and forth turning it off to show a gun to someone. The cables, even if not alarmed, are generally a pretty good deterrent, at least to most people.
There were 5 of us working the show, but we were quite busy, and at the time, I was at the end of the island, where our "office" is, completing a transaction with a customer. We are vigilant at the shows, and I would like nothing much better than to see someone snatch a gun and start to walk away. When we are done with him, the cops can have him.
I believe this will cover most such situtations:
? 9.41. PROTECTION OF ONE'S OWN PROPERTY. (a) A person in
lawful possession of land or tangible, movable property is
justified in using force against another when and to the degree the
actor reasonably believes the force is immediately necessary to
prevent or terminate the other's trespass on the land or unlawful
interference with the property.
(b) A person unlawfully dispossessed of land or tangible,
movable property by another is justified in using force against the
other when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the force
is immediately necessary to reenter the land or recover the
property if the actor uses the force immediately or in fresh pursuit
after the dispossession and:
(1) the actor reasonably believes the other had no
claim of right when he dispossessed the actor; or
(2) the other accomplished the dispossession by using
force, threat, or fraud against the actor.
Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, ? 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974.
Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, ? 1.01, eff. Sept. 1,
1994.
Yes, the shop owner will have to file a stolen gun report with the BATF, but he also reported it to the local PD.
It was a 6" S&W 586, but I don't have the serial number handy. Steve (pistolpac) has it, I am sure.0 -
This may sound stupid , but why aren't shows under video survilence? Just signs stating they were may stop the nonsense these morons are doing. Almost seems like the promoter should be responsible. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by select-fire
Almost seems like the promoter should be responsible.
I disagree, it is the responsibility of the merchant to take steps to avoid theft. The gun was stolen due to laxed security in the interest of convience.0 -
quote:Originally posted by select-fire
This may sound stupid , but why aren't shows under video survilence? Just signs stating they were may stop the nonsense these morons are doing. Almost seems like the promoter should be responsible.
shows under video surveillance could be almost as bad as a federal who bought what directory. Oh wait they already have teh 4473 never mind!0 -
At North Texas Gun Club shows, which are run VERY well, there is ONE entrance and ONE exit, and security people manning both.
When a spectator comes in with a gun, the gun is inspected and then a color-coded cable tie is put on it, a different color for each day of the show. The exhibitors at the show do not have the same color-coded cable ties, so they must give the customer a receipt whenever they sell a gun. When a spectator leaves the show with a gun, the security person checks to see if the gun has that cable tie on it, or that the customer has a receipt for the gun's purchase. Someone could still steal a concealable gun and hide it on his person, but it is a step.
Also, all persons working the show carry portable radios, and if a gun is reported stolen, all are immediately alerted to look for it and tighten security at the exit.
None of this happened at the show this past weekend. It was as though the promoter and police didn't much care.0 -
David; I hope the creep is cought, and severly punished.Their will always be a scumbag that thinks he can get-away with stealing.
If you should happen to get to him/her first, take a piece for me too..[;)]0 -
Video surveillance is an idea, but most shows don't allow photography of any kind, so I don't think that will catch on.
I think having one exit, single file, with a walk through metal detector, especially one of the new computerized ones like we have at the courthouse, might be an answer. It probably wouldn't cost all that much to rent one with an operator for a weekend.
The one to which I refer doesn't just beep when it detects something. It captures a video image of the person, and shows the location and approximate size and density of the object. It can discriminate between a ring of keys and a knife or gun. But even just a walk-through scanner would be a start. As you leave, put your metal objects in the tray, lay your guns aside, and walk through. The exit security person makes sure you have the right color tie or a receipt for the gun, and you are on your way.0 -
In the KC area gun shows you tie everything down,sad but true and some shows are worse than others. Trust NO ONE 0 -
David the Silver Spur shows out of Texas seem to be very well run:
http://silverspurgunshows.com/
Not sure if they promote in your area.0
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