The following is a video transcript.
Independent Program Attorney: Hi, this is attorney Richard Hayes. How can I help?
Member: Oh, hi Richard. My name is Germaine Baur and I am a U.S. LawShield member.
Independent Program Attorney: Hi, Germaine, what can I do for you?
Member: So, I read an article today online, about a guy who had his gun stolen out of his car. He called the police to report it. They came to take the report, but then they ended up taking all of his guns and now they may even take his handgun license.
Independent Program Attorney: Yeah, I’m familiar with the story. Unfortunately, it’s real. I see it happen in my practice, where good intentioned gun owners get themselves in trouble by inadvertently tattling on themselves in the process of reporting a lost or stolen gun. Whether it be they were in a prohibited place, like a post office or a bar or even there’s some states where it’s a crime if you don’t report your lost or stolen firearm within a certain period of time. So, it’s really important that you talk to an attorney first, because if you find yourself in one of those situations, I don’t want you inadvertently implicating yourself in a crime. And when the authorities are out there, you think they’re working to get your gun back, really they’re investigating you for a crime.
Member: Okay. So, that seems really, really unfair. Are you saying that I shouldn’t report a stolen gun?
Independent Program Attorney: No. By no means am I saying that. You absolutely want to report your gun if it’s lost or stolen. Especially, in those cases where it’s a crime for failing to report the gun lost or stolen. But, you want to talk to an attorney first, because we don’t want you falling into one of those pitfalls.
Member: Why is that?
Independent Program Attorney: Well, in cases where you’re associated with your gun and if you failed to report it lost or stolen and it shows up at a crime scene, the ATF or local law enforcement could trace it back to you. I don’t want the authorities showing up at your house unexpectedly asking you questions. It’s very uncomfortable.
Member: Well that makes sense. So, what’s the best way to handle the situation if my gun ever gets lost or stolen?
Independent Program Attorney: Well, unlike in cases of self-defense where the first call after the scene is safe is to 911, in this case it really should be to an attorney, because they’re going to be familiar with the laws in your state to make sure that you’re complying with your state’s law, and also they’re going to prepare you. They’re going to be able to walk you through the likely questions you’re going to receive from law enforcement, so you’re prepared for those followup questions.
Member: Right, so I don’t accidentally say something or do something that could get me in a lot of trouble right?
Independent Program Attorney: That’s exactly right. In my practice, I’ve seen a lot of good intentioned gun owners get themselves in trouble because they didn’t talk to an attorney before speaking to authorities and I wouldn’t want that to happen to you.
Member: Thank you so much.
Independent Program Attorney: You have a good day.
U.S. LawShield President, Kirk Evans: I’m Kirk Evans, President of U.S. LawShield. Thank you for watching and thank you for being a U.S. LawShield member. I hope you found this video useful and informative, because the information is vital to helping you preserve your rights as a gun owner. Hundreds of thousands of guns are stolen every single year, with many of them turning up at grisly crime scenes, and when there’s no obvious culprit, the gun’s most recent owner quickly becomes a person of interest. If you’re ever the victim of gun theft, we want you protected, which is exactly why we created Gunowner Identity Theft Coverage, so you can have the peace of mind knowing that you’ll have an Independent Program Attorney ready to help you prepare to deal with the authorities when reporting your gun lost or stolen. Simply click the link below to add this vital coverage to your U.S. LawShield membership today.
Simply click here to add this vital coverage to your U.S. LawShield membership today.
I liked the transcript. I have one more question. I understand you need to talk to a lawyer first. So is this a perfect situation where we call the USLaw shield emergency number?
These bits of information are always valuable, so Please, keep them coming!!
These periodic articles and videos alone are worth the cost of membership. Being a well informed gun owner is much more valuable than making a mistake and needing a lawyer..
Hi, i received my license to carry card while living now in Colorado and i was told i need to change my carry liscense to be abke to carry concealed or open. They said o actually had 30 days to do so. I moved to Colorado in2018, can you pls advise me on what to do
Tammy, please see the response from a Colorado Independent Program Attorney:
“Hello Tammy, if you were issued a Carry Permit in another state, assuming your former state of residence has similar reciprocity laws, then Colorado would temporarily recognize the permit. Colorado’s reciprocity statute provides your out-of-state permit is good for 90 days after you established Colorado residency (CRS 18-12-213). Since you have lived in Colorado more than a year, your 90 days have ran out and your permit is expired, and is therefore considered “permanently expired” (CRS 18-12-211(2)). You are required to apply for a Colorado permit and meet the qualifications of CRS 18-12-203.”
Sounds like it’s going to be easier, safer, and less expensive to prove you weren’t at the scene of a crime where your STOLEN gun was used. Then there’s no reason for them to search your house. I hope all you rule followers aren’t naive enough to EVER open your door to LE.
And if you do, YOU WILL be surrendering your guns, or your life and the life of at least one LEO. I will not live as a slave of the state, nor will I EVER owe an apology to our fallen or wounded service members. They fought for our freedoms, I’m not going to hand mine over.
Good information. I am thankful not to live in an anti-2nd Amendment state, but it is always good to be safe. Someone steals your car, commits a crime, and the car owner is the victim. Someone steals your gun, commits a crime, and the gun owner is somehow the culprit. This is not reasonable; it is harassment and gun.
gun control.
Thank you! Excellent information.
This caution would have been more relevant if the state jurisdiction or city had been included to identify the bad actors for the person reporting the crime. Also whatever happened to self-incrimination regarding the filing of the report so the state can not act on it? Under Obama there were a lot of applications to purchase guns that failed that were never prosecuted because of self-incrimination
Good info. Can we call the non-emergency USLawShield number for help in this kind of situation?
Thank you for your question Daniel! As a U.S. LawShield member, you can call the non-emergency phone line for advice for any weapon or self-defense situation that you may have.