Neighbors ask TPD if those who leave guns in unlocked cars could face charges
TAMPA - Nationwide, the FBI says a gun is stolen from a car every 15 minutes. Law enforcement in the Bay Area has been pleading with gun owners not to leave their firearms in unlocked cars.
It had neighbors questioning whether those who don’t, could be held accountable.
"You’re saying that most of these guns are stolen and I’m like ‘how is that possible, where is a 13-14 year old getting a gun?’" said Mona Judge, a neighbor at a Tampa Police town hall meeting on Monday in New Tampa.
Last year, Tampa had around 200 guns stolen from unlocked cars, guns then used to commit violent and sometimes deadly crimes.
"If they take it out of the car and the glove compartment wasn't broken, shouldn't you charge the gun owner?" said Judge.
Her question received applause from the packed room.
"There was a house bill up in Tallahassee doing just that. Unfortunately, it didn’t make it far," Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw told her.
That bill introduced in January would have required owners lock firearms in a trunk or glove box when left inside an unoccupied car. If not, owners could face a second-degree misdemeanor.
State Rep. Dan Daley of Coral Springs was one of the sponsors of HB1087, which didn't make it out of committee. He told FOX 13 the effort is not over.
"I will continue to file and support legislation like HB1087 until my colleagues in the house recognize what law enforcement and most Floridians already have gun-related crimes and gun-related deaths are preventable," Daley said.
Police chiefs and sheriffs across our area have been pleading with gun owners to help them out.
"I've never seen it as bad as it is with the number of crime guns that are on the street and the number of shootings and the number of people that we come across that are illegally carrying guns. And again, they're getting them out of cars, that's primarily where they're coming from," said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri at a press conference on the issue of stolen guns.
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"We are not telling you not have it, we are telling you to be responsible," said St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway.
At least for now, they'll have to rely on owners to heed their message.
"Y’all know I’m a big Second Amendment guy. You can't own too many knives or too many guns, but you've got to be responsible," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
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