Guns Stolen From Cars Jumped 31 Percent Between 2018 and 2022: Report

The rate at which guns were stolen from cars increased by 31 percent from 2018 to 2022, while the rate at which guns were stolen during residential burglaries dropped 40 percent, according to a recent report from the Council on Criminal Justice.

The council analyzed data from 2,098 law enforcement agencies that had consistently reported gun thefts to the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System during the period studied. The report includes data from roughly 12 percent of the country’s law enforcement agencies, covering 25 percent of the U.S. population, including 16 cities with populations greater than 250,000, according to the report.

Susan Parker, a research assistant professor at Northwestern University in Chicago, and one of the study’s authors, said the report is the first step in gathering enough data to determine how and where criminals obtain their guns.

“We’ve had this lack of information, and so it’s difficult to know if factors are changing, and that’s why we wanted to do this report … to try to understand the nature of the problem, and any potential shifts over time,” Parker told The Epoch Times.

She said guns are used in more than 75 percent of murders, about 30 percent of armed robberies, and 25 percent of aggravated assaults, according to FBI statistics. Many of those guns are stolen, she said.

Parker noted that gun sales increased during the period studied, which encompassed the COVID-19 pandemic, a period of civil unrest, and a trend at the state level toward allowing permitless carry.

Parker said the data also show that the number of people carrying firearms in public increased.

“In 2015, 9 million people reported carrying [a firearm] in the last month, and by 2019 that almost doubled,” Parker said. “So with this shift in how guns are being carried, it might mean that they’re more often in cars.”

Luis Valdes, a former police officer and current spokesman for Gun Owners of America, said there is no doubt that more people are carrying guns, so it follows that they are carrying them in their cars.

“A lot more people are carrying firearms daily now, especially as more states have become either permitless carry or they have become shall-issue, and after the Bruen decision, more people are actively carrying firearms,” Valdes told The Epoch Times.

In its June 2022 New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen decision, the Supreme Court ruled that gun laws must match the plain text of the Constitution and the “history and tradition” of the United States.

This decision led to the dismantling of gun control laws that courts ruled failed to meet the Bruen standard.

Requests for background checks to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System shot up during the pandemic, indicating an increase in gun sales.

The authors estimated that an average of 1.3 guns were stolen in each theft.

The data show that half of the guns stolen from vehicles were taken from cars parked at residences. The sharpest increase in the rate of gun thefts during auto burglaries—at 76 percent—involved cars in parking lots and garages.

Valdes was not surprised by the increased rate of gun thefts in parking lots and garages. He said the main driver in that equation are gun-free zones, which are supposed to keep guns away from sensitive areas.

Gun Owners of America and other gun rights organizations have opposed gun-free zones for years.

Valdes said burglars select parking lots and garages because the owners will be away for hours.

“Gun owners are typically the most law-abiding segment of the population, which means they disarm themselves and store their firearm in their vehicle when they go to these gun-free zones,” Valdes said. “Since you have a higher percentage of the population carrying firearms and following the law because of gun-free zone policies, criminals are getting more guns.”

Parker said the data did not indicate whether gun-free zones were a factor.

“While there may be a component … about the necessity of storing guns in cars to comply with sensitive places that don’t allow firearms, the issue of cars not being a secure storage place is the most important factor,” she said.

Rob Chadwick is the head of personal and public safety for the U.S. Concealed Carry Association, a membership organization that provides training and legal support for people who may have to use a gun in self-defense.

Chadwick said gun owners should prepare for the likelihood of having to store a gun in a car.

“Gun ownership is a serious responsibility, and how we store our firearms reflects our commitment to safety, security, and accountability,” Chadwick wrote in an email to The Epoch Times.

The car should be parked in a well-lit, high-traffic area if possible. The gun should be stored in an inconspicuous place. Consoles, glove boxes, and door pockets are generally the first places burglars check.

Chadwick recommended using a cable lock or locking storage box secured to the car under a seat, or in the trunk out of sight. He said the gun should be handled discreetly when locking it up so as not to draw attention from passersby.

It’s also important to know the laws of the municipality and state. In some places, leaving a gun in a vehicle is illegal. Also, some jurisdictions can hold a gun owner liable for crimes committed with a gun that was stolen because it was not stored properly.

“The few extra minutes it takes to do it right can make all the difference in preventing tragedy or legal trouble,” Chadwick said.