Stolen Gun - Need help/Advice

[Monkeyman2500]

I was recently contacted by a Police Department in Texas in regards to a rifle I used to own. I purchased it in 2003 and later traded it in to another shop that has since closed. The rifle was evidently found in a storage locker during one of those auctions. Legally there the gun has to be traced? They had no records on the gun so the Chief ran it through the ATF and they managed to trace it back to me. I have the paperwork still for the purchase and the trade. He is looking to see what happened to the gun after it left my ownership.

 

When I traded the gun I traded it to 2nd Amendment Gun Shop. To my knowledge they are no longer in business? I believe the owners name was Rob but I cannot remember his last name. I was wondering if anyone here might know him or if he is a member? If he is, or you know him, please send me a PM. The Chief of the PD is simply looking to find who it was sold to/stolen to. I'd appreciate any help that anyone can give me. Thanks guys.

[Garufa]

If I'm not mistaken when an FFL goes out of business they must turn their records over to the ATF.  Seems to me the Chief is barking up the wrong tree.

[Murgatroy]

How do they know the gun was stolen? Seems to me, if it were reported stolen, they would know who it was stolen from. If it wasn't reported stolen, the rightful owner may have stored it in the locker, and then defaulted on it.

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[MrsMonkeyMan2500]

I think there is a bit more to the story than what he was willing to tell Monkey. But this Chief went so far as to contact our county sheriff to get our information. Our sheriff wouldn't give him our home phone but did provide him a mailing address. Which is no big deal given the fact that he has the documentation showing he no longer owns it. But it seems a bit weird, because he seems very intent on tracking down the "rightful owner". It made for a great discussion over breakfast tacos.

[Omega]

If everything is documented on your end I would not worry about telling him the disposition of it.  If they are that interested in tracing it, it may of been involved in something illegal in TX or may be it was found with other items that may of been stolen.  Either way I see no issue with telling them what you did with it.

[Monkeyman2500]

I'm not worried about anything on my end much. I was really trying to just give the chief something to go on. I'm wondering if it was stolen from the old store owner after he closed. If it was used in a crime I would love to give them a lead. Especially if it caught a dirty thief.

[pops572]

I want to say that the same guys that owned 2nd amendment owned a shop in the Russellville/Auburn KY area. Not sure if it closed when the other did or not.

[Oh Shoot]

If I'm not mistaken when an FFL goes out of business they must turn their records over to the ATF.  Seems to me the Chief is barking up the wrong tree.

 

Yep, bound books and 4473s should be in the ATF National Tracing Center in Martinsville.

 

- OS

[btq96r]

Sounds like the police chief in Texas is just being thorough.  Good reminder to keep your paperwork from retail guns sales, and insist on it for private sales.

[vontar]

I am most curious how they found you once owned it.  As I checked they aren't registered.  Maybe you filled out a warranty card and the manufacturer pointed to you.

I may be completely off base too.

[Garufa]

I am most curious how they found you once owned it.  As I checked they aren't registered.  Maybe you filled out a warranty card and the manufacturer pointed to you.

I may be completely off base too.

 

Not hard to do.  Check with manufacturer, then distributor, then selling dealer.  That's pretty much how it's done (in the absence of the database that doesn't exist, of course ;)).  Dealer had Monkey's name and serial number were the trail stopped as he traded it to another dealer that is now out of business (whose records the ATF have apparently not yet digitized ;) ).

[MrsMonkeyMan2500]

I am most curious how they found you once owned it. As I checked they aren't registered. Maybe you filled out a warranty card and the manufacturer pointed to you.
I may be completely off base too.

The Chief told Monkey that he somehow tracked him down through the ATF? Then contacted our local Sheriff for a phone number. Our sheriff only gave him out address and told him to send a letter. They seemed really excited to hear from him. I always complain about how OCD Monkey can be, but in this case, I'm super happy.!

[Oh Shoot]

The Chief told Monkey that he somehow tracked him down through the ATF? ..

 

ATF likely queried the manufacturer on behalf of Texas LE as Garufa outlined above. Not sure records like that are necessarily divulged to just any LEO who asks.

 

- OS

[Monkeyman2500]

Not hard to do. Check with manufacturer, then distributor, then selling dealer. That's pretty much how it's done (in the absence of the database that doesn't exist, of course ;)). Dealer had Monkey's name and serial number were the trail stopped as he traded it to another dealer that is now out of business (whose records the ATF have apparently not yet digitized ;) ).

This was my guess as to what happened.

[94user]

If I'm not mistaken when an FFL goes out of business they must turn their records over to the ATF.  Seems to me the Chief is barking up the wrong tree.

This is truth. If the dealer you traded it to is no longer in business all of his records , (read forms 4473) are required to be turned over to the BATFE.  If they did and they can't find them it isn't your problem.  If they didn't, again not your problem.