A study released late last month by the Council on Criminal Justice found, “Rates of gun theft reported to law enforcement remained relatively stable from 2018 to 2022 at between 70 and 80 guns stolen per 100,000 people.” The report includes a period in which a record-setting number of law-abiding citizens exercised their Second Amendment rights for the first time. The National Shooting Sports Foundation estimates the number of people who purchased their first gun in 2020 at 8.4 million. The next year another 5.4 million took ownership of a firearm, followed by 4.2 million in 2022.
The fact there was no palpable increase in theft of firearms reflects the success of the industry’s decades old and aggressive education and outreach programs. “Responsible gun owners understand the need to securely store their firearms to keep them out of reach of young kids and protect from theft,” said Hornady Security Project Manager Matt Mack. “No one wants to be part of a preventable theft or accident, whether you’re at home, traveling, or in your vehicle—secure weapon storage is part of being a responsible gun owner.”
Criminals Set Sights On Vehicles
One big shift, however, was identified in the study. “The rate of guns reported stolen from motor vehicles increased by 31% over the period,” it states, “while the rate of guns reported stolen during residential and commercial burglaries dropped by 40%.”
“We have a responsibility to securely store our gun in our vehicle when we are away and the gun cannot be with us,” cautioned Louis Tuck, partner, COO and CFO at The Headrest Safe Company. “So when you go to a concert, sporting event, kid or grandkids school, securely store your firearm in your vehicle. Not in the glove box or console, but in a secure, lockable safe.”
Window glass can be broken fast and door locks picked with ease, but a new generation of lockable and securely anchored firearm safes designed for vehicles is an unexpected second line of defense, hard to breach and time consuming to pry loose. Just how fast it’s being adopted shows in an industry not traditionally considered a steadfast supporter of the Second Amendment. “Secure gun storage is now top of mind in the RV industry,” Tuck said. “The Compact Headrest by The Headrest Safe Company is now standard equipment in certain RV models."
If that criminal attack happens as an owner is getting into their vehicle, however, fast access can be lifesaving. Hornady’s RAPiD Safe models are one solution, and thick steel cable anchoring provides a multitude of anchoring options. “Gun owners want to protect their investments and keep their loved ones safe,” Mack said. “But they also want to have quick, confident access when a firearm is needed. So, we are seeing a trend toward high quality safes that utilize quick access technology like the line of RAPiD safes.”
Other Study Findings
- Among the cities with a population of more than a quarter million included in the report, Memphis, Tenn., had the highest gun-theft rate (546 per 100,000 people).
- Gun theft rate from vehicles is highest in rural areas.
- Firearm theft from vehicles parked in garages or established parking lots increased by 76 percent in the survey period.
- Criminals targeting vehicles they believe have a gun inside nearly doubled. The rate increased from 5 percent in 2018 to 9 percent in 2022.
