More than 200 firearms have been reported stolen in the city of Pittsburgh this year, an increase of nearly 38% from 2021, police said Thursday.
At a press conference, police officials said irresponsible gun ownership has become an increasing problem as authorities try to combat a rise in gun violence that has impacted the city and the country.
At this time last year, there were approximately 150 firearms reported stolen in the city, police said, meaning this year’s thefts mark a substantial increase.
“Ownership responsibility has become a big issue,” said Detective Russell Cain at police headquarters on Pittsburgh’s North Side.
“People report a gun stolen, they don’t have paperwork for the gun, they don’t know what kind of guns they have, they don’t know their serial numbers — they pretty much don’t know anything about the firearm,” he continued. “In our opinion, that’s not responsible gun ownership.”
A large percentage of stolen firearms are taken from vehicles, police said, many of which are unlocked or unsecured. Officials suggested using a gun lock and locking a firearm in a car’s glove compartment if it must be stored in a vehicle. They also suggested using a gun safe at home.
Gun locks are available free of charge from any Pittsburgh police zone building or substation. They also will be available at upcoming community events, police said.
Detective Cain said the police bureau has even received reports of stolen guns that were stored by their owners in trees and bushes.
“Not everybody is a negligent firearm owner,” he said. “A lot of people are very serious about their responsibility when it comes to guns, but when you have two or three stolen out of your automobile at different times, under different incidents, you’re not really a responsible gun owner.”
Like the rash in gun violence that has been ongoing nationwide this year, the trend in stolen guns is also happening across the U.S.
The years 2019 and 2020 saw recent history’s biggest spike in gun thefts from cars, according to data from anti-gun violence group Everytown for Gun Safety. More than 13,000 guns were reported stolen from cars in the U.S. in 2020, according to the report.
Mick Stinelli: mstinelli@post-gazette.com
First Published: July 14, 2022, 7:43 p.m.