Stolen Gun Recovery Process in Baltimore County

jalopi · Jun 2, 2021

Hello everyone,

A few weeks ago, I had my truck stolen and unfortunately, I had my sub-2000 tucked away under my seat. Definitely a bad idea in hindsight, as I thought that NO ONE would ever want to steal my PoS truck, but here we are.

Fortunately, as I found out from the officer handling my case, the thief only wanted to "borrow" my truck for a few days so that he could use it to schlep some stolen ATVs around. As a result, none of my personal property was missing from my truck, including my rifle.

It's been about 10 days since my truck and rifle were recovered, and the police officers/personnel that I have spoken to have been giving me pretty inconsistent information about how I can get my gun back.

My most recent call to their headquarters was with a lady from their "Evidence Management Unit" and she told me that there was only ONE guy in the entire building who processes recovered firearms, and that he just got back from vacation, so it would probably be "about two weeks" before I could expect a phone call back from them.

I have a hard time believing that the Baltimore County police department only has ONE guy processing recovered firearms. Is this the famous Maryland Disarmament-Through-Beaurocracy™ that I've heard people talk about in the past? Or does the BCPD hire from the same pool of people that get hired to work at the MVA?

Thanks for the answers/input in advance

StantonCree · Jun 2, 2021

The government moves slowly. Find the officers email and ensure you’re doing everything over email and not the phone.

They will have a chain of command. If they are unresponsive move up the chain.

I tell everyone to email me in regardless to requested police work.

Email holds my feet to the fire

newmuzzleloader · Jun 2, 2021

I would agree with SC about the email vs phone call. An email creates a "paper trail" of questions asked and answers given. A phone call--- not so much.
Squareqrouper has related the travails he had to go through to recover his property some years back and wasn't pretty.
Good Luck

John from MD · Jun 2, 2021

Another proponent for email messages. They serve to get someone off their ass and also gives you evidence needed if you have to go up the ladder.

303_enfield · Jun 2, 2021

Talk to a Lawyer an pay for a letter. Otherwise, good luck getting it back.

boothdoc · Jun 2, 2021

^^^this^^^

Squaregrouper · Jun 2, 2021

newmuzzleloader said:
I would agree with SC about the email vs phone call. An email creates a "paper trail" of questions asked and answers given. A phone call--- not so much.
Squareqrouper has related the travails he had to go through to recover his property some years back and wasn't pretty.
Good Luck

I won't give the full story, but it is on MDS if you want to dig...
I caught my ex cheating on me and said some really nasty shit (nothing threatening). She had me SWATTED and BPD took my guns from my apartment for "safe keeping" while we sorted things out. I was never arrested, never charged with anything and never put in handcuffs. It took me 2 years to get my guns back that were taken from my home and I did absolutely nothing illegal.
I support LEO's. I am now adamant that on duty law enforcement will never enter my home without a warrant- unless I called them.
.
ETA- I testified in front of The MGA about this when Red Flag legislation was introduced- mentioning how much worse the SWATTING would get once it was codified as being legal.

GuitarmanNick · Jun 3, 2021

Good luck getting it back. Don't wait to get active on recovering it from the BCPD!

jalopi · Jun 3, 2021

I don't know why I didn't think to e-mail them instead of making a call. I guess I didn't think that recovering it would be as troublesome as it has been.

Thanks for the suggestion everyone, hopefully they don't completely yank me around with a paper trail. At least then, if I have to go to court and petition a judge to force the BCPD to get it back, I'll be able to prove my due diligence

Dingo3 · Jun 3, 2021

Email and send a certified letter. Also have a lawyer do the same. Let them know that you will not stand for this and hold their feet to the fire. Also, post on their social media about how they are infringing on your rights. Contact the local Clerk of Court and make them deal with how they are depriving you of your rights.

Trappemann · Jun 3, 2021

squaregrouper said:
I won't give the full story, but it is on MDS if you want to dig...
I caught my ex cheating on me and said some really nasty shit (nothing threatening). She had me SWATTED and BPD took my guns from my apartment for "safe keeping" while we sorted things out. I was never arrested, never charged with anything and never put in handcuffs. It took me 2 years to get my guns back that were taken from my home and I did absolutely nothing illegal.
I support LEO's. I am now adamant that on duty law enforcement will never enter my home without a warrant- unless I called them.
.
ETA- I testified in front of The MGA about this when Red Flag legislation was introduced- mentioning how much worse the SWATTING would get once it was codified as being legal.

I was there when you testified, and we talked before and after your testimony. I remember your story vividly and am glad you responded to this.

Tell them about the condition of your property when you got it back...

My advice to OP would be to get a lawyer and a letter. Bureaucrats do what they want to do, until forced to do their jobs.

jalopi · Jun 3, 2021

How much would a lawyer for a case like this even cost? As much as I hate the idea of just letting them [BCPD] have my gun, it was completely unmodified, so its replacement cost is "only" $600-700. I'm not rich by any means, but that's still cheaper than what I imagine an attorney could wind up costing me.

daNattyFatty · Jun 4, 2021

jalopi said:
Hello everyone,

A few weeks ago, I had my truck stolen and unfortunately, I had my sub-2000 tucked away under my seat. Definitely a bad idea in hindsight, as I thought that NO ONE would ever want to steal my PoS truck, but here we are.

Fortunately, as I found out from the officer handling my case, the thief only wanted to "borrow" my truck for a few days so that he could use it to schlep some stolen ATVs around. As a result, none of my personal property was missing from my truck, including my rifle.

It's been about 10 days since my truck and rifle were recovered, and the police officers/personnel that I have spoken to have been giving me pretty inconsistent information about how I can get my gun back.

My most recent call to their headquarters was with a lady from their "Evidence Management Unit" and she told me that there was only ONE guy in the entire building who processes recovered firearms, and that he just got back from vacation, so it would probably be "about two weeks" before I could expect a phone call back from them.

I have a hard time believing that the Baltimore County police department only has ONE guy processing recovered firearms. Is this the famous Maryland Disarmament-Through-Beaurocracy that I've heard people talk about in the past? Or does the BCPD hire from the same pool of people that get hired to work at the MVA?

Thanks for the answers/input in advance

The department test fires/checks for function every firearm that comes into their custody. Yes, there is only one person in the department that does it.

Additionally, OP. I’ll echo the others in saying to email the primary officer. The issue is, it could be the officer that took the initial report, or a detective, depending on the circumstances. At any rate, make your intentions known that you want the firearm returned to you. The officer will receive a property notice from evidence asking what to do with the firearm. They’re supposed to call the owner and ask. After that, it goes through a record check and should be returned as soon as it’s determined that you’re not prohibited. FYI if the officer says it’s releaseable, it then goes to the gun unit to double check and ultimately give the go ahead.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Bertfish · Jun 4, 2021

daNattyFatty said:
The department test fires/checks for function every firearm that comes into their custody. Yes, there is only one person in the department that does it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Why?

daNattyFatty · Jun 4, 2021

Bertfish said:
Why?

Can’t say for sure, as I’ve never worked in forensics. I just know that’s their practice.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

mauser58 · Jun 4, 2021

Where is it being held as evidence. Usually in Baltimore County they take the guns and store at Towson headquarters.
They are across from the Stanley Black& Decker headquarters. They store them in the basement evidence room and there are several that handle them there. Also a few Cadets that assist each day. You can actually go into the building and ask for someone in evidence at the front booth inside entrance.

TheOriginalMexicanBob · Jun 4, 2021

Guns recovered are test fired to determine whether they have been used in a crime from recovered bullets.

I had a S&W Model 19 stolen from my car at the Timonium Gun Show back in the late '80s...whoever did it was good...not any kind of damage to the car at all (it was locked in the trunk). I reported it promptly...made an insurance claim and was paid more than the piece cost new.

About twelve years later I received a phone call from Baltimore County Police asking if I wanted my gun back. It turns out it was recovered in a drug raid three weeks after it was stolen...the serial number was run and it was test fired. No NCIC hit...the gun had not been entered into NCIC by that point. Years later when BCPD was going to destroy a batch of guns in the evidence room their protocol was to run the numbers again...that's when they received the hit. I was able to get it back no worse for wear other than the box was long gone.

I contacted the insurance company and let them know the gun was recovered and asked what the protocol was for in this case...like did they want the money back. They let me know they didn't want the money back but if it was ever stolen again they wouldn't pay off a second time.

lazarus · Jun 4, 2021

Dingo3 said:
Email and send a certified letter. Also have a lawyer do the same. Let them know that you will not stand for this and hold their feet to the fire. Also, post on their social media about how they are infringing on your rights. Contact the local Clerk of Court and make them deal with how they are depriving you of your rights.

Unless you have to have it back now, I’d at least give a letter, email and phone call a chance to work for a week or so first. Unless you’ve got a buddy who’s a lawyer, a letter is probably going to cost you at least $100 for an actual lawyer. How much is the gun?

There is a fine line between wait too long to get a lawyer involved and getting one involved too early. In this case, at least try on your own for initial attempts before you start paying someone. It would be one thing if this was multiple firearms worth thousands and thousands.

mcbruzdzinski · Jun 5, 2021

squaregrouper said:
I won't give the full story, but it is on MDS if you want to dig...
I caught my ex cheating on me and said some really nasty shit (nothing threatening). She had me SWATTED and BPD took my guns from my apartment for "safe keeping" while we sorted things out. I was never arrested, never charged with anything and never put in handcuffs. It took me 2 years to get my guns back that were taken from my home and I did absolutely nothing illegal.
I support LEO's. I am now adamant that on duty law enforcement will never enter my home without a warrant- unless I called them.
.
ETA- I testified in front of The MGA about this when Red Flag legislation was introduced- mentioning how much worse the SWATTING would get once it was codified as being legal.

I had a similar experience when I was married to my ex-wife and going through the divorce process. The bottom line is it cost me about $3000 in legal fees to have a lawyer help me get my three pistols back.

YMMV

Uncle Duke · Jun 5, 2021

jalopi said:
How much would a lawyer for a case like this even cost? As much as I hate the idea of just letting them [BCPD] have my gun, it was completely unmodified, so its replacement cost is "only" $600-700. I'm not rich by any means, but that's still cheaper than what I imagine an attorney could wind up costing me.

Sadly, you're almost certainly right about this.
Unless this practice is pervasive and onerous enough for a gun rights organization to take it on, it's not an inexpensive proposition. Just another reason to want to leave this state.

As distasteful as it is, the least expensive way to go is probably to put everything in writing, and deal with the ******** for as long as you can tolerate it.

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