I work at a used car dealership in a not so nice part of town, we get a lot of customers who dont exactly follow the weapons laws, yesterday a guy I work with was stripping a vehicle and found a Glock 30 under the carpet, is there any way of checking the serial number to see if its been involved in a crime of any sort? I found the site to check if its stolen (which its not) but theres also the risk its dirty, any suggestions? I told him he should take it to the police and have them do it but hes rather set on keeping it if its clean. Is there any law that says you have to turn it in?
This only checks Florida records, however it’s a start:
http://pas.fdle.state.fl.us/pas/item/displayGunSearch.a
If in doubt, contact local law enforcement. They can test it for ballistics and return it all dirty and rusty once they determine is to not be linked to any other active investigations.
Most likely, LE doesn’t have the serial number recorded if it’s been in a crime and the gun isn’t in their custody; they just have forensics such as rifling on bullets at the scene or the specific markings the firing pin made on the primer (or the extractor made on the case).
Personally, if you know 100% for sure it’s not stolen, I wouldn’t worry about it. If you try to get it tested by LE, unless you happen to know the right people along the way, you’re basically giving them the gun indefinitely. Based on how you found it, they probably won’t return it. And if they do it will be a dragged out process.
As for a legal defense later on, document everything regarding how you found it. What car it was found in (make/model, plates, VIN, etc), preferably who you got the car from (assuming that’s on file), and some date/time stuff. If possible, have documentation that shows other people were aware of its discovery at the same time.
If you can separate yourself legally from any past it has had with good documentation, there’s no reason (to my knowledge) that you can be charged on the off chance they find you with it and it happens to have history.
Disclaimer - I am not a lawyer, nor do I know all your state and local laws. Please, please, please do not take what I say at face value without some understanding and application of your local laws. If they vary, disregard said advice entirely.
This is not a legal transfer of a firearm and a violation of both State and Federal law…
Advise him to contact the local field office of the ATF…
B