Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said today that he would like to see gun owners in Illinois have to report when their weapons are stolen, lost or sold – steps he said would lower the number of firearms in the hands of criminals. …
“We keep trying to pass comprehensive gun legislation,” he added. “And my recommendation is to really start small. The fact is that if there was a requirement to report the loss, transfer or theft of a firearm in the state of Illinois, that would significantly limit the number of firearms in the city of Chicago.”
via Chicago Tribune.
Media simply reports what the man says as gospel and doesn’t ask any questions.
Please tell us Mr. McCarthy how part one, a “requirement to report the loss, transfer or theft of a firearm” leads to part two, and “significantly limit the number of firearms in the city of Chicago?”
Person A has a gun. Person A goes on vacation and while gone Gang-Banger B breaks into Person A’s house and steals Person A’s gun. Person A reports to the police that the gun has been stolen.
First, Person A is going to file a report b/c guns are expensive and he or she is going to want to make the insurance claim that the gun was stolen.
Second, Person A is going to file a report b/c they don’t want the police knocking at their door when the gun is used in a crime.
But just in case that’s not enough… let’s just say we do create a new law to force Person A to notify the police that the gun was stolen. Now just exactly what is the police going to do with that information to keep the stolen firearm out of the city of Chicago?
I would really like to know. Where is the nexus between knowledge of a stolen gun and action that keeps that gun out of the city?
Can someone please explain?