Gun thefts from cars are the largest source of stolen firearms, according to research released Monday by Everytown for Gun Safety, which points out that shootings are increasing nationwide, spurred in large part by guns obtained illegally.
The study by the non-profit organization, which analyzed FBI crime data from 2011 to 2020 in 271 cities across 38 states, also noted the alarming trend that guns stolen from vehicles account for more than half of all such thefts, while a decade ago the majority of gun thefts were from burglaries and less than a quarter were from cars,
Advocates urged always securing guns and point out that vehicles parked at homes - in driveways and outside of residences - are the most common places a gun is stolen from an unlocked car, according to The Crime Report.
Overall, from 2019 to 2020, there was an increase in guns stolen from vehicles in at least 180 cities across the country.
Experts said this trend was likely accelerated by a surge in gun purchases during the pandemic, with 2020 the year that the FBI conducted the most gun background checks ever, at nearly 40 million, NBC News reported.
Moreover, coronavirus kept more people at home and made easier targets of vehicles, which were much more often unoccupied and lesser used.
"Criminals are opportunists," Everytown President John Feinblatt said. "They'll go where they think that they can capture guns and flood the black market with little or less risk."
Everytown said cities in states with weaker gun laws have greater rates of firearm thefts from cars, In addition, only 15 states have laws requiring gun owners to report incidents of their firearm being lost or stolen.
"There's never been a more urgent time to act," said Everytown deputy research director Megan O'Toole. "With every gun stolen from a car, there are rising chances that gun will be used in a violent crime."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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