Report Finds Three Times More Guns Stolen From Cars Now Than 10 Years Ago

The rate of guns stolen from cars in the U.S. has tripled over the last decade, according to a recent analysis of FBI data by the gun safety group Everytown. This alarming trend has made stolen guns from cars the largest source of stolen guns in the country.

The analysis found that nearly 122,000 guns were reported stolen in 2022, and just over half of those were taken from cars. This is a significant increase from about one-quarter of all thefts in 2013, when homes were the leading spot for firearm thefts.

The stolen weapons have been linked to tragic incidents, such as a gun taken from an unlocked car in Riverside, Florida, being used to kill a 27-year-old Coast Guard member. In another heartbreaking case, a 14-year-old boy in St. Petersburg, Florida, accidentally killed his 11-year-old brother with a gun that had been stolen from a car.

The report highlights the need for Americans to safely secure their firearms to prevent them from falling into the hands of dangerous individuals. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Director Steve Dettelbach emphasized the importance of preventing stolen guns from reaching violent individuals, gangs, and drug dealers.

The ATF has found that theft is a significant source of guns used in crimes, with more than 1 million guns reported stolen between 2017 and 2021. The agency is working to address this issue and prevent stolen guns from contributing to violent incidents in the future.