Category: Firearms Theft, Success Stories

Firearm recovered 29 years after burglary

“Detective Whittington was informed through a LeadsOnline hit that a Ruger .44 Maginum pistol stolen in a home burglary in 1982 may have been located at a local pawn shop. Detective Whittington contacted the shop owner who said that the firearm was at the store and he would place a hold on it if it was identified by the owner. Contact was then made with the original owner who had the firearm stolen in the burglary. He was able to provide the serial number from paperwork he had kept. The shop provided Detective Whittington with the name of who pawned the firearm. Detective Whittington was able to contact him. He was informed of the situation and advised detectives that he purchased the firearm two years ago from another local pawn shop. Thanks to this information, the owner was able to pay and get the firearm back.”

Lt. William Grimes
Lawton Police Department
Oklahoma

Category: Firearms Theft, Success Stories

Guns, including one stolen from a Navy officer in Georgia, recovered by South Carolina detective

“I was able to recover two firearms while working second shift on a slow night. I went through NCIC hits and I located a couple of promising matches. After following up on these, I determined that one of the guns was on a case I was assigned to investigate. The weapon was a Thompson-Center Prohunter 12 gauge shotgun and was fairly expensive. The owner was thrilled to have this returned. The second weapon was a Charles Daly .45 pistol that had been stolen from a Navy officer who was deployed on a Submarine when his home was broken into. It was stolen from Kingsland, Georgia and I spoke with a detective from that jurisdiction and made arrangements to have the weapon returned.”

Det. Kelly Lovelace
York County Sheriff’s Office
South Carolina

Category: Firearms Theft, Success Stories

Houston police officer’s stolen Smith & Wesson .357 found in Dallas 37 years later

“Detective Joe Emmett, was checking LeadsOnline and found a stolen Smith and Wesson .357 at a pawnshop. A check found the pistol was stolen in 1973 from a UUMV of a then-Houston Police Officer. Joe did some checking and found the complainant, is now a Lieutenant with the Houston ISD Police Department and is about to retire. He said he would make it up to Dallas with his wife for the property hearing. He was, of course, amazed that the pistol was found this many years later.”

Sgt. David Franklin
Dallas Police Department
Texas

Category: Financial Crime, Success Stories

LeadsOnline used by investigators in Cleveland County to find stolen guns and electronics

“A burglary was reported to the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department where several guns and electronics were stolen. Three days later, the 46 inch Samsung flat screen television that was stolen out of the residence was located at a pawnshop in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The Mossberg 410 shotgun had been sold at Money Mart Pawn Shop in Pine Bluff. The suspect also sold a Ruger 10/22, Knight Muzzleloader, and a Marlin 17 caliber rifle. The suspect has been identified and is in custody. Almost all of the property reported stolen has been recovered thanks to LeadsOnline.”

Det. Josh Bolland
Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department
Arkansas

Category: Firearms Theft, Success Stories

Gun stolen 16 years ago found via LeadsOnline

“I just wanted to let you know that I recovered another pistol. The Smith and Wesson model 39-2 was reported stolen from Clinton County, Michigan in 1996. I used the NCIC function to search other ORI for possible hits. This pistol was pawned on 05-11-2012 and I got a hit on the serial number the next day. Any agency that does not use the LeadsOnline program is overlooking a lot of stolen property! Thanks for the great work!”

Det. Fred McKown
Elko Police Department
Nevada