MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – With the new permitless carry law, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) has more concern this year than ever before.
There have been nearly 500 car break-ins in Shelby County so far this year.
While it is a large number, Detective Toby Shaw with SCSO says it shows some progress in comparison to previous years. In 2019, there were over 800 break-ins overall and in 2020, there were over one 1,000 for the entire year.
Shaw says many break-ins are done by teens.
And this morning I was reading in the local rags about TSA complaining about people accidentally bringing their sidearms to the security check ins at Nashville Airport. I am sure that tomorrow or the day after, we will read about how Permitless Carry also contributed to the spread of the Delta variant, the conflict in the Middle East and also Hair Loss in women.
It has been a month since the law came into effect and these type of news articles are simply the reflection of desperation because the Media and the Left knew for a fact that Wild West shootouts were coming. But since the proverbial bus full of orphans has not been shot to pieces by the local Rednecks, the best they can do is blame the rash of car break ins on the object rather than the culprits.
But just because the Media is comprised by idiots, that does not mean your responsibility ends and you get to leave your firearm unsecured inside your car. Our vehicle is now containing not one, not two, but three safe boxes to lock guns in case of need if a packing relative is with the missus an I and we must enter a prohibited area.
With prices beginning at $40 and under, you have no excuse not to have one in your vehicle. And shit will happen, just ask J Kb.
It amazes me how irresponsible “responsible” gun owners can be… The first and foremost thought when carrying a firearm IS the firearm . Typical media hype. It never changes. They screamed the same things here in the 70s when we got “shall issue” permits. And when permit less carry was passed recently. Memphis is becoming alot like Chi town- run ( into the ground) by democrats.
It is two problems hidden as one. The first issue is that people are not securing their firearms. It is a stupid thing but it happens. Have you ever eaten at a sit down restaurant after range day? If you did, how did you secure ALL of your weapons.
So it is very reasonable to have a lock box in the car for when you need to leave your CCW in the care when you exit the car.
Why are you leaving your firearm in the car? Is it that you always leave a gun in the car? In that case, you should have it locked up.
Or is it that the location you are entering doesn’t allow firearms?
Why do I have to lock up my gun in my car when I mail a package? Oh, that’s right, because it is a crime to enter the PO property with a gun. So park on the street, secure CCW, walk to the post office, mail package, come back and rearm.
The weapon would have been more secure if it had been on me.
So don’t be stupid and leave unsecured guns in your vehicle.
Get the stupid laws changed so we don’t have to disarm so often.
500 car breakins, says the headline. It very carefully obscures the fact that this number is somewhat lower than the rate of last year. And it completely hides any information about what fraction of those actually involve guns.
It is carefully constructed propaganda, designed to make it sound like there is a big surge in car breakins and all of those result in stolen guns. Given that there is no surge, my guess (without actual data) would be that only a handful of them, perhaps just one or two, involved a stolen gun.
That doesn’t mean guns shouldn’t be secured; it only means that the story has no connection to honest reporting.
Said lack of connection being sadly not unusual these days.
That reminded me to look for an in-console vault for the “new” (used but new-to-us) family car. Nope, nobody makes one.
Crap.
Boris: here’s one place to look: https://tuffyproducts.com/?s=console+safe&gclid=CjwKCAjwmK6IBhBqEiwAocMc8t13TMfvk0PgwfquwRqDynXwfaE4q8BdAj5F6X4tRMjrkgAIK49qPhoCmN0QAvD_BwE
I have a console safe, as well as a beneath-the-bench-seat safe in my truck.
Reporter: Sheriff, can you give us your opinion on the new permit-less carry law?
Sheriff: Well, we’ve been seeing fewer car break-ins this year than in previous years, but there are still a lot.
What. The. Actual. F**k.
Other than, “lock up your gun if you leave it in the car” (which should be common-sense and second nature by now), what the Hell does that answer have to do with that question?
Also, car break-ins are down significantly. He even said so.
But if the SO is worried that “car hoppers” are getting guns with the new permit-less carry law, they should be reminded that by their own statistics, as reported in that article, thieves were already getting guns from cars before the new law.
IOW, it’s not a new problem caused by the new law. If people are stupid it might exacerbate the pre-existing problem, but that doesn’t change that it’s a pre-existing problem.
But for a moment, forget the part about “fueling the crime/violence wave”. Here’s the part I truly don’t understand:
Guns are valuable and expensive. A good one costs a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I know I don’t have the scratch to just go out and buy a replacement if I “lose” one through careless stupidity.
Thus, “Where’s my gun?” is pretty much ALWAYS on my mind while I’m out, even when the gun is on my person. And even though we drive about the most undesirable target for potential thieves (a big, stock-standard-white passenger van full of kids’ car seats), if I must remove my gun to enter a restrictive environment, I lock it up. I don’t want it to be stolen, not just because I don’t want to be seen as contributing to criminal violence, but mostly because I don’t want to be out several hundred dollars to replace it! (The missus would likely veto that purchase, and I just wouldn’t have that gun.)
So, who are all these people who leave a $400-600 pistol loose and unsecured in their vehicle as if it’s a 99-cent pack of gum? And can I get the number for their financial advisor? Because they must be rolling in cash.
And if they’re not, they’re even more idiotic than previously assumed … and believe me, that’s saying something.
Archer: you reminded me of an assessment credited to Einstein with your “And if they’re not, they’re even more idiotic than previously assumed … and believe me, that’s saying something. observation.
“Two things are limitless in the universe. Hydrogen and human stupidity.” He is reputed to have added, “and, I’m not so sure about hydrogen!”
Care to do a post on the best of the vehicle lockboxes? Because I need to get one because that’s one reason I am not as well prepared for things as I should be.
It depends what you want and need. For basically securing one handgun, prices of decent boxes start at $30. I have a Hornady Alpha Elite plus two others from other brands that will do the simple job of NOT allowing a quick smash and grab.
Or you can go spending several thousands and have a full box installed in the trunk of your SUV where you can stash a rifle or two plus gear.
https://gunfreezone.net/review-of-hornadys-alpha-elite-lock-box/