HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The Henrico County Police Division is warning gun owners about a rise guns being stolen from cars, and sharing how you can protect your property.
In 2022, police said 243 guns were stolen from cars in Henrico County. 65% of those guns were taken from unlocked vehicles.
This year so far, Henrico Police said they received 145 reports of stolen firearms from cars.
Now, police are asking with the public to not leave a gun in the car, even if it’s locked.
Will McCue, with Henrico County Police Division’s Public Affairs, said responsible gun owners should be aware of the risks of their firearms being stolen and plan ahead.
“Your vehicle’s not a gun safe, so make sure you always take your firearms and other personal items with you when you lock your car or keep them hidden,” he said.
Michael, who lives in the Tuckahoe area, said thieves broke into several cars in his neighborhood last October.
“The truck was open, and the interior light was on, so they were probably in that activity and had just gotten away,” he said.
The rifle that was passed down to him was stolen, and a thief also took his neighbor’s handgun.
“It was a very nice black powder gun. It was beautiful,” Michael said.
Michael learned his lesson that day and has since tightened up security by installing cameras.
“It was certainly an invasion of your privacy,” he said. “I was definitely rethinking what security measures we needed to have because we thought we were in a safe area. But obviously now, there are no safe areas. They’re just targets waiting.”
Though police haven’t found the thieves who swiped Michael’s rifle, he has a message for whoever stole it.
“You’re definitely going to get caught at some point,” he said.
