The Second Amendment right of Americans to bear arms requires responsibility on the part of gun owners. But recent data from the Vancouver Police Department — and other locales across the nation — show that too many gun owners have been irresponsible about keeping firearms out of the hands of the bad guys.
Through July 22 this year, according to an article in The Columbian, Vancouver police had received reports of 28 guns being stolen from cars. The previous high for an entire year was 25 thefts recorded in 2018.
Police say that car prowlers most commonly steal credit cards and debit cards, along with purses, backpacks, laptop computers and wallets. Increasingly, they are finding and taking unsecured guns.
The lesson, of course, is not to leave anything of value in a car that can be easily accessed by thieves. Spokeswoman Kim Kapp of the Vancouver Police Department said: “Today’s auto prowlers don’t bother trying to pick a lock or get in without causing damage. They smash a window or two and grab an item.”
The theft of a weapon is particularly disconcerting as a matter of public safety. We would rather have firearms remain in the hands of licensed owners than a thief. And while a total of 28 guns in Vancouver is relatively small compared with the number of weapons legally owned by residents, it apparently is reflective of a larger trend.
As NPR reported earlier this year, national statistics are not available, but a spot check of various jurisdictions indicates a growing trend. In Tennessee, for example, 2,203 guns were reported stolen from cars in 2016; the following year saw an increase of 84 percent in such thefts.
“What we do from a police perspective is repeatedly put out messages and reminders and tips regarding not leaving valuables in vehicles and the dangers related to that,” Kapp said. “Despite that, people still do, and guns are one of the items that are also left in vehicles and are stolen along with other property.”
In addition, we wonder how many gun thefts are not reported because the weapon might have been illegally procured or owned, or because the owner was too embarrassed to report the theft.
All of this calls for increased responsibility on the part of gun owners. Mobile gun safes are available for vehicles, typically costing between $100 and $200. Statistics show that most gun owners do not use gun safes, even in their homes, but the desire for self-defense must be balanced with the risk of a gun falling into the wrong hands. Leaving a weapon in a vehicle removes the owner’s ability to defend themselves, anyway, so why not secure it when you are away from your car?
Washington is among several states to strengthen gun-control laws in recent years. Initiative 1639, passed by 59 percent of statewide voters last year, includes a “community endangerment” provision that can hold gun owners accountable if their weapon is used in the commission of a crime and an investigation traces it back to the original owner. Because most gun owners are dependable and conscientious, we trust they would be appalled to learn that a firearm stolen from their vehicle is then used in a crime.
Because of that, it is essential for gun owners to avoid leaving weapons in a glove box or under the seat of a vehicle. While we can have reasonable discussions about the scope of the Second Amendment, we trust that rational people on both sides would agree that the rights of gun ownership also call for responsibility.
