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Police Seize Over 300 Guns from Rockford Home

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
I hope the owner of this home gets his firearms back in good condition, and I hope he gets a HEEEEYYYUGE settlement check from the lawsuit he's going to win against Rockford PD for this inexcusable theft of his personal property, and the unwarranted searches they are going to perform on the serial numbers of each of these firearms.

Hit 'em in the wallet.
 

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
What crime are they investigating that requires the seizure of the guns? They weren't taken in the burglary, so they are not evidence in that crime. The owner of the guns is not suspected of a crime, so they cannot use that justification.

Oh, wait, I understand: "Neighbors say even though the weapons may be legal, they still pose a security threat to their neighborhood." :rolleyes:
 

BerettaFS92Custom

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
232
Location
mid south but not madison , , USA
freedom?

Where is the PRO BONO attorney? who are his nut job neighbors to say how many guns are too many? who is the state/county/city to tell us the same question above? this is outright criminal reversal. he would have been better off to have stepped outside his house lock the door and say everything is fine. illegal search and seizure of property. there has to be a lawyer out there to take this case should be worth a lot of money.....

neighbors called early morning. lawyer needs to get the logs and see what happened sounds like he was targeted. if this sticks it is another dagger in the movement of the 2nd amendment. maybe he should move out of illinois to a free state
 

simmonsjoe

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
1,661
Location
Mattaponi, Virginia, United States
The home was robbed, and the police lawfully gained entry. The house was condemned. Obviously the security of the house had been compromised. They have not been able to contact the homeowner.

I'm not sure taking possession isn't the correct thing to do, given those circumstances.

The public announcements of the condition of the home, other than "it's been condemned," and all announcements about what they found in the house, including the weapons found in the home are absolutely unacceptable.

Running the serial numbers to check if they're stolen is wrong.

I'm not sure if taking temporary possession of the firearms is wrong, but his right to privacy, and rights as a victim, were definitely violated.
 
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KansasMustang

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2008
Messages
1,005
Location
Herington, Kansas, USA
Sounds to me like a gross violation of the IVth Amendment, and maybe even the Vth wherein it says "nor shall private property be taken for public use". Seems to be a lawsuit in the making.
 

SouthernBoy

Regular Member
Joined
May 12, 2007
Messages
5,837
Location
Western Prince William County, Virginia, USA
Well the first tipoff is the "legally registered" comment. If you live in a state where you are required to register your firearms, that should raise a big flag as to the general feeling not only among the police, but the populous at large regarding their feelings and thoughts about someone who has a collection of arms.
 

kwikrnu

Banned
Joined
May 14, 2008
Messages
1,956
Location
Brentwood, Tennessee
Officer safety. They had to take them just in case for officer safety. The guy could maybe possibly be mentally deficient or have poor eyesight. When was the last time the firearms were safety tested? They could have been used in criminal activity and there is no way of knowing unless they are confiscated and ballistics tested. They could maybe be used in future criminal activity if they are stolen from his home. There are many good reasons to remove the guns.
 

Lord Sega

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2010
Messages
311
Location
Warrenton, Oregon
Yes and No

"At the current time we're taking the firearms for safe keeping as evidence until we can further investigate this," says Deputy Chief Lindmark.

Securing the weapons until the owner returns... they have to since the burglars, and now the entire neighborhood & everyone who reads the paper knows the weapons are there and that the owner is not. The weapons could be easily stolen, thanks to the police & media announcing it to everyone.

However... "as evidence until we can further investigate this," is wrong. If there's no law broken or there's no suspicion of a crime committed by the homeowner, then the weapons are not evidence.

There should be no serial numbers run, no ballistics checks, nothing but securing and holding the weapons (due to the house being condemned and unsecure) until the homeowner returns.

If something is found during a proper investigation (the burglary) that is in itself illegal (ie a bag of pot) then they have the right to seize it and start a separate investigation, but they can't start an investigation on nothing.

Are they running the serial numbers on every TV & appliance in the home to see if they are stolen? They can't base an investigation on the amount of legal items in the home, who would decide where to draw the line on how many is too many?

All the homeowner should have to worry about is dealing with his now condemned house and getting professional help on his "hording" problem (not just the weapons, but the whole house issue).

edit: If there are state laws where he lives dealing with weapons secured in the home, ie must be in a gun safe or trigger locked, then my opinion stated above would be somewhat different. I know some states/cities have laws to this effect.
 
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PrayingForWar

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
1,701
Location
The Real World.
Fireproof Gunsafe $800

FOID Card $10

Living in a fascist state like Illinois and having 300+ guns in a house you are away from otherwise unsecured:

$TUPID.
 
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papa bear

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
2,222
Location
mayberry, nc
was this rockford, england, or rockford germany. this reminds me of the film "the biggest gang in america".
comdemening a house is just one of the steps the gov. takes to seize the property. surry county, NC and surrounding townships are well known for this ( and usually making a personal profit out of it)

makes you think what can they do to you!
 

KBCraig

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
4,886
Location
Granite State of Mind
I will give the police a little credit, but only a little: they were responding to a reported break-in, the house was full of guns, and the owner was out of state and couldn't be contacted. If the house was in the deplorable trash-filled condition as reported, they also had reason to question his mental state.

Were they supposed to leave all these guns unsecured for the burglars' next attempt?

Now, I also have some big problems with the police: first, their intent to run all the serial numbers. Second, the way they piled them in a police van like cordwood, obviously taking absolutely no care to ensure the guns weren't damaged. And finally, I imagine they're going to do everything in their power to not return the guns, or make the guy put up a long and expensive fight, if he can.
 
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