Question - Lost/Found Handgun

[cnelk]

Here’s the scenario.
(Some details are withheld for obvious reasons)

Someone I know found a handgun with some ammo recently. It was half buried along a trail.
They called me and asked what they should do with it.

I told them to contact the local sheriff and let them know…

After 2 days, and a phone call to dispatch each day, there has been no response.

What would you do?

 

[Luke S]

I heard of a guy finding one by the road years ago. Probably fell off a truck tailgate or something like that. He left it there and called the police. The concern was that there might be a record somewhere saying that gun/serial number number was connected to a crime and now he had it. He didn't want any connection to that.

 

[GoatPackr]

Have the local sheriff department run the cereal number and if it's clear keep it.

 

[Stonewall308]

I would probably take it, drive up to the local police department, walk in there empty handed and tell them I want to drop it off. If they say ok i bring it in in a paper bag and leave it. If they won't take it, i leave my phone number and consider it mine after a year.

I wouldn't leave it in the woods where a kid could find it.

 

[cnelk]

It wasn’t left along the trail for obvious reasons

Handled with gloves

 

[elkliver]

im guessing he is calling the wrong number? In most states there is a process where you can run an add for a lost firearm and if no one claims it, then you get to keep it. That is assuming of course that it isnt stolen. So usually the Sheriff will run the serial number. The state police in whatever state you are in would also be a possibility

 

[cnelk]

im guessing he is calling the wrong number? In most states there is a process where you can run an add for a lost firearm and if no one claims it, then you get to keep it. That is assuming of course that it isnt stolen. So usually the Sheriff will run the serial number. The state police in whatever state you are in would also be a possibility

Nope. No wrong number.

 

[elkliver]

Nope. No wrong number.

Then asking the wrong question? If you report a found firearm... there is no crime so i guess i can see not getting any concern.... Has he asked to have them check to make sure it isnt stolen? And if thats not the explanation ... then who knows? Call state police?

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Absolutely get it turned in, you don't know who did what with that thing.

 

[sndmn11]

Just walk into or call ANY convenient law enforcement entity no matter how small. If calling, just ask for the call for service number from whoever you talk to and hang on to it.

CSP direct call troops are pretty darned responsive.

Contact a District or Troop | Colorado State Patrol

A district is often comprised of several troops, sections, or units of the Colorado State Patrol. A district is used to distinguish field personnel from those assigned to a branch, which generally provides material or investigative support to the field. The Patrol currently maintains five field...

csp.colorado.gov

 

[journeyman713]

At this point I'd probably print out a photo of it, showing the serial number, walk into the Sheriffs department with it, and have an in person conversation to clear it. Keep the gun in the car, in case they want to see it.

 

[Erict]

It shouldn't be that hard on the citizen but call back and demand to speak to a supervisor. The police are not just going to "check the file" and let you know the status of the gun. They should send an officer to pick up the evidence, open an "investigation", enter the property into their evidence room, check the gun for lost/stolen and if not, keep it for the period specified by the state "found property" laws. It's possible the reporting party could get to keep it at the end of the period, but given it's a handgun I wouldn't be surprised if the law mandates it gets destroyed. Good luck.

PS - I should mention that it appears that CO has a law requiring the reporting of lost or stolen firearms within 5 days.

 

[spike camp]

I found a semiauto 9mm at an obscure trailhead a
few years ago.
Called the local PD, never got a call back after 2 days.
Didn’t touch it, walked away.
Not my problem.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Hell have some fun with it.

Post up on Nextdoor or one of those soccer mom apps, with pics that you found this gun and the cops dont care.

 

[ODB]

Yeah. just walk in with pics but without the gun. They can often trace the serial from manufacturer > distributor > reseller > 4473 and try to locate the owner. That's how they do guns found in a crime, etc. if the owner doesn't want to be found he might have other issues. If it was along a trail it sounds accidental.

 

[BLJ]

I’d have someone run the numbers to make sure it hasn’t been reported as stolen or used in a crime before I touched it.

If the sheriff doesn’t help, call the state police.

I found a handgun in a truck I bought one time.
Called the state police and told them the scenario.
Trooper ran the numbers and the pistol wasn’t reported stolen or used in a crime.
Calle me back and said congratulations on your new pistol.

 

[butcherboy]

I lost a handgun one time. Left it in its case and set it on the bumper of my truck. Drove off and realized it when I got to elk camp. That was a long 4 days. I called as soon as I got back and thankfully a good citizen found it and turned it in. I don’t remember how I proved I was the owner but I got it back.

 

[270-300]

Youll learn how unreliable police are. Lucky you learned with something simple, not from being the victim of a crime.

 

[onlybrowning]

For info gathering on another popular thread, you really should share if the person left it with one in the chamber or loaded mag, not one in the pipe.

 

[rob86jeep]

Here’s the scenario.
(Some details are withheld for obvious reasons)

Someone I know found a handgun with some ammo recently. It was half buried along a trail.
They called me and asked what they should do with it.

I told them to contact the local sheriff and let them know…

After 2 days, and a phone call to dispatch each day, there has been no response.

What would you do?

What did the Sheriff's office tell him?

He should call the Sheriff's office, tell them he found a firearm on a trail and removed it for safety reasons, and ask for the address to drop it off and/or get it checked. If he wants to make sure everything is good to go, tell him not to rely on other people even if it is probably within their job description.