[tiwee]

St Clair County Missouri Sheriff Department is gonna wish they hadn't said this.

Pickup truck, deputy’s gun stolen in O’Fallon, Mo. | St. Louis Crime Beat | STLtoday

Pickup truck, deputy’s gun stolen in O’Fallon, Mo.
By Joel Currier
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
O’FALLON, MO. - Police are asking for the public’s help finding two men suspected in the theft of a pickup truck and sheriff’s deputy’s gun this morning in O’Fallon, Mo.

Shortly after 6 a.m., a man stole a pickup truck from a home Bryan Valley subdivision and drove it to a nearby home where a St. Charles County sheriff’s deputy’s patrol car was parked, police said. Someone broke the driver’s side front window of the car and stole a deputy’s .40 caliber handgun. Police believe the gun was in the car’s middle console.

O’Fallon Police Lt. Pat Hossenlopp refused to provide the hundred block and street of where the gun was stolen. “We just want to protect the deputy a little bit,” Hossenlopp said. “We don’t want his address getting out.”

Sheriff’s Lt. Craig McGuire said the department’s policy requires deputies to secure their weapons. Keeping a gun hidden from view in a locked vehicle is considered a secure method of storing a weapon, he said.

Preliminary findings show the deputy did not violate the department’s policy for storing weapons while off-duty, McGuire said. Deputies are allowed to take cars home.

“I don’t know what else you could do to make it more secure,” McGuire said. “Just because you have it in the house–you can hide it as best you can–but there’s only so much you can do.”

Police say they are looking for two white men in the incident. One drove off in the stolen truck; the other was spotted leaving the subdivision in a dark pickup truck.

The white pickup has Missouri license plate number 0KL227, police said. Police had no additional description of the other pickup.

Investigators are asking for anyone with information on the incident to call Detective Dean Frye at 636-379-5579.

Not only criminals are dumb.

 

[SIXTO]

I agree. Legal, illegal against policy or not, keeping guns in a vehicle is just stupid.

 

[G27owner]

Personally, I prefer to keep mine at my hip or no more than 3 feet away

 

[razor02097]

I agree. Legal, illegal against policy or not, keeping guns in a vehicle is just stupid.

I have little choice when I go to work. I have a small one gun safe hidden under the driver's seat and secured to the frame. If the car is stolen I have the plate#, VIN# and SN of my CCW with me always.

 

[SIXTO]

I have little choice when I go to work. I have a small one gun safe hidden under the driver's seat and secured to the frame. If the car is stolen I have the plate#, VIN# and SN of my CCW with me always.

I understand those situations, and wasn't referring to that. I was thinking more along the lines of keeping one 24/7 in a car because one is to lazy to bring it in or out of the car.

 

[UncleDannie]

He may very well have small children and a touchy wife, so the car may have been an option for him. Who knows, really? Only he and his supervisor knows why. As we all say, crap happens.

 

[SIXTO]

He may very well have small children and a touchy wife, so the car may have been an option for him. Who knows, really? Only he and his supervisor knows why. As we all say, crap happens.

Yeah, that could be.

One of our guy's wife wears the pants so he just keeps his in his locker at work. I feel sorry for him.

 

[farronwolf]

If the wife is worried about it or he has kids, pick up a 30 dollar honeywell quick access safe and bolt it to the closet shelf. I have a couple like this http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5127163, but from big lots for about 30 bucks, the one that is a bit bigger cost 40 from big lots.

I leave my gun in a vehicle when I have to, like going into a posted hospital or when I have enter the school building, but that is about it. Car burglaries are very common, nothing worth anything should be left inside a vehicle, much less a gun.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

 

[Sunday]

I agree. Legal, illegal against policy or not, keeping guns in a vehicle is just stupid.

I agree, if I can't carry it 24/7 I don't need it.

 

[Janq]

Not only criminals are dumb.

Not so much dumb I'd say as just another of the old school and stuck in the 'people used to be nicer and more honest' past type of guys.
I'd bet he grew up in the 40s or 50s as well.

In fact on a very serious note there have been _multiple_ times folks here at this exact forum have states nearly word for word this mans same sentiment if not statements.
I've been involved in discussions of same in relation to proper and _modern_ securing of ones firearms as in their vehicle and home which does not mean 'out of sight' stuck under a seat or stowed in a glove compartment or console panel. And that keeping firearms stored in those old timey glass and wood display cases positioned right at the front window for all on the street to see as though their house is a satellite store for Dick's Sporting Goods.

At this very forum we have had more than a few persons state exact same.
I would not think them dumb so much as just not living in a modern majority America, as within their own mind.

Tonight I'd had a conversation with my wife about she wanting to sneak over to my inlaws (same town as us) to check the color of their bedroom paint and duvet cover because she wants to buy them a Christmas gift that will color coordinate with their room.
I told her just go over any day of the week while they are at work and walk on in, you know the doors are unlocked.
She responded to my UTTER SHOCK and surprise; "No they are locked now". She went on to say that they now are locking their doors when they leave and actually carry a house key, which they had to have a locksmith come out and make for them because they had long ago lost the key (singular).
I've known them 16 yrs. and been to their umpteen times at their direction told just go on on in and get whatever you need.
I told my wife well this is sure proof that the world will end in December 2012.

The times have changed since the days of Dobie Gillis and Gidget.
There are though still a good number of folks who are not aware or are doggedly trying to pretend as though they are not living in the future which is now.

- Janq

 

[SIXTO]

I want to know how you do that Jang. You take a rather simple topic point, and write a easy reading novel in one post. I mean that as a compliment, I always enjoy your posts.

Anyway, Jang hit it. What he said.

 

[Jeff F]

In Wheeling, West Virginia a couple of weeks back they had an M16 stolen out of an officers car. My first thought was why does there need to be an M16 taken home and my second was why would it be left in the officers vehicle over night. Needless to say they are now changing their weapons storage policy (a little late don't you think?). They just swore in a new chief and this was not a good start for him I would guess.

 

[ccw9mm]

Sheriff’s Lt. Craig McGuire said the department’s policy requires deputies to secure their weapons.

Keeping a gun hidden from view in a locked vehicle is considered a secure method of storing a weapon ...

... the deputy did not violate the department’s policy for storing weapons while off-duty, McGuire said.

“I don’t know what else you could do to make it more secure,” McGuire said.

Didn't take any real precautions for securing a firearm during the unattended night shift. Don't know what else one could do to make it more secure, too.

Hm. Someone needs remedial training in what constitutes "secure" and what can actually be done with a bit of desire and motivation. At least, here in the 90's and 00's, life ain't what it used to be, where one can go around life with the doors unlocked, the car unattended, the guns in plain sight, and so on. A well-marked, unattended police car in a small town known for having firearms inside overnight doesn't bode well for security of those cars or weapons. Not these days.

I agree. Legal, illegal against policy or not, keeping guns in a vehicle is just stupid.

What he said.

 

[mprp]

Funny, as I look at the topics, this thread was on top of, "When is it time to buy a safe." :blink:

 

[SIXTO]

In Wheeling, West Virginia a couple of weeks back they had an M16 stolen out of an officers car. My first thought was why does there need to be an M16 taken home and my second was why would it be left in the officers vehicle over night. Needless to say they are now changing their weapons storage policy (a little late don't you think?). They just swore in a new chief and this was not a good start for him I would guess.

I carry my stuff home all the time, but I bring them in with me. The reason to take them home is, we typically respond from home when the phone rings at any hour. It would take me a lot long to respond to a SWAT call out if I always had to go the the station first.

I also bring stuff home to be worked on that is issued to other officers. There are quite a few reasons why an officer would bring such weapons home.

 

[Jeff F]

The reason to take them home is, we typically respond from home when the phone rings at any hour.

I understand that concept and can accept it in the area of Ohio your in. I guess my real question is having lived in the Wheeling area on the Ohio side of the river is if they need M16's at all for their SWAT team. Don't seem to recall any situations in the area that would require the use of one. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know much about LEO things, but my son is an officer there (no he didn't lose the gun) so I'll have to ask him about it I suppose.

 

[SIXTO]

All it would take is a hillbilly with a 22, and the need for an M16 is there. I'm pretty sure Wheeling has both hillbillies and .22's among other things.

 

[razor02097]

All it would take is a hillbilly with a 22, and the need for an M16 is there. I'm pretty sure Wheeling has both hillbillies and .22's among other things.

that needs to be someone's sig line :rofl:

I understand that concept and can accept it in the area of Ohio your in. I guess my real question is having lived in the Wheeling area on the Ohio side of the river is if they need M16's at all for their SWAT team. Don't seem to recall any situations in the area that would require the use of one. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know much about LEO things, but my son is an officer there (no he didn't lose the gun) so I'll have to ask him about it I suppose.

The BG are going to be armed. Sometimes heavily. I would rather my tax dollars pay for more police firepower then more police funerals. :comeandgetsome:

In green township I hear they are finally upgrading all their stuff to new pistols and getting AR's. They have also hired some LEO that where laid-off from hamilton county. The crime rate isn't bad here so its more then likely preventative.

Cincinnati is another dept that has stepped up with more LEO. I can't imagine what all they have for firepower.

 

[shooterX]

Sixto & Jang, well stated, the both of you. I have two key lock cabinets for my long guns and a few smaller safe type boxes used for handguns, as well as one installed in my truck for those times I must disarm. I live in a semi-gated community (guard shack is only staffed at night, why I don't know), and still lock the doors all the time, my wife leaves her car unlocked on a regular bases, she thinks we are safe where we live.

 

[archer51]

He may very well have small children and a touchy wife, so the car may have been an option for him. Who knows, really? Only he and his supervisor knows why. As we all say, crap happens.

Regardless of what his situation at home, there is no excuse for the gun being left unsecured in the vehicle. Take it in the house and lock it upor lock it securely in the vehicle. A COM is not that expensive. In the home it can be bolted to a closet shelf or the bottom of a drawer. In the vehicle it can be secured with the cable it comes with, or bolted down. Granted it's not as secure as a full size gun safe, but it will keep a kids hands off of it, or in the case of the vehicle stop a grab and run.

Most thieves, when breaking into a vehicle are after what can be gotten to quickly. They aren't going to spend a lot of time trying to open something that is locked. This theft can only be attributed to laziness or stupidity or both.