Chief Johnson reminds residents to store handguns safely
Mar. 19—Corsicana Chief of Police Robert Johnson released a statement today reminding residents to take precautions when storing their personal handguns in vehicles.
"Although the overall crime rate has dropped locally, a disturbing trend that has increased throughout the entire state as well as Corsicana is the theft of handguns from vehicles. This issue poses a significant threat to public safety, as stolen firearms are ending up in the hands of violent criminals. A large percentage of the handguns seized from juveniles in the local area have been reported as stolen from a motor vehicle. The majority of all burglaries of a motor vehicle involved the criminal entering the vehicle through an unlocked door.
Although the ultimate factor is the criminal deciding to commit a crime, there are still many things that our citizens can do to lessen the chances of a suspect easily stealing a firearm and then using it in the commission of a crime. Understanding the factors contributing to this problem and taking proactive measures to assess it are crucial steps in mitigation.
Factors contributing to handgun theft and burglary of motor vehicles:
1. Vehicles parked in public spaces or driveways are easy targets for thieves looking to score a quick take. Many gun owners make the mistake of leaving their firearms unsecured in their cars, assuming they are safe from theft because of being in their comfort zone. Locally, during investigations, the CPD will review CCTV footage from neighbors in the area of a Burglary of Motor Vehicle. Many times, the footage will show the suspect checking neighboring vehicles and if they are locked, simply move to the next target.
2. Handgun theft from vehicles is often an opportunistic crime. Thieves may not specifically target cars intending to steal firearms, but seize the opportunity when they come across an unlocked vehicle or spot items left in plain sight. These items do not have to be valuable. We have had juvenile offenders target visible change, cell phones, charging cords, and gym bags left in a vehicle.
3. Stolen handguns are highly sought after on the black market because they are easily concealed and are not traceable back to them. Once stolen, these firearms can change hands multiple times before being used in violent crimes, making them difficult to trace.
Please remove any handguns from your vehicle whenever it is to remain unoccupied for any period of time. Be sure to not leave visible items such as cell phones, gym bags, etc. if you can help it and by all means lock your vehicle every time you leave it. There is no such thing as crime prevention, only crime reduction. The key is to make it harder for thieves to take advantage of a situation. If you can accomplish this, then they will most likely move to an easier target."
