If Firearm is lost/stolen?

[amk]

Not wanting to hijack my other thread, there was another legal issue I was wondering about.

I have heard from many folks that if a licensed firearm is stolen or lost the owner/license holder is in for trouble; usually there is compulsory arrest without bail for a few days and a case is filed against the offender. I think the arms act and rules are silent about this.

But what if there is a break-in or a forcible robbery and my gun is stolen? When we go to malls/cinemas our guns are not allowed inside so we leave it in the car; there is always a threat of car break ins. For this reason I have stopped packing when I plan to go to any place where I can't carry it on me.

AMK

[mundaire]

If your firearm is stolen, the FIRST presumption the police will (usually) make is that you sold it in the black market! The fact that imported pistols sell in the black market for as low as INR 40-50,000/- (as per a sting operation carried out last year by a news channel) AND licensed pistols go for SEVERAL TIMES that amount does not seem to have sunk in to their thick skulls!

If your firearm is stolen you are required to lodge an FIR ASAP, this is also your protection against being tried for any crime that the thief may later commit using your firearm. You will simply have to run the gauntlet once the FIR is lodged, BUT unless some corrupt official is looking to hassle you to make money OR has some personal vendetta against you - you should be able to (under normal circumstances) come out of it eventually... that is to say nothing they throw at you will stick in a court of law, but they will hassle you like crazy for sure!

Of course, once you have had a firearm stolen from you - your subsequent arms license applications will have an automatic black mark against them - in perpetuity!

Cheers!
Abhijeet

[hellfire_m16]

I once heard of a person who used to keep his handgun in his car.......it/car or both got stolen....dont remember the excat details but even with all his clout the owner of the firearm had to go thhrough a lot of hassels.

[hellfire_m16]

I dont know wether this is the appropriate thread for this.......but what does one do of he looses his Arms Licence-------not the firearm itself?

[amk]

Hellfire, getting a duplicate AL is easy I guess; and there are no real legal issues when you lose yoru arms license.

Thanks for the answer Mundaire. I pray I never have to go through the trauma of such an event.

AMK

[shutzen]

HI! No problems - its the lesser /better of the two evils to happen. You simply lodge a FIR and submit the FIR and a application to issue duplicate licence to the concerned licencing authority and they will issue you a duplicate licence. Had to get one made myself long time ago. - Created a hilarious scene at Customs IGI when the snooty customs guy wanted to see my orignal licence claiming I was showing him a duplicate as the front page has "Duplicate" written on it.

[hellfire_m16]

Thanks amk and shutzen