Police vehicles are thought to deter criminal activity, but they may still attract smash and grab gun thieves
The Trace examined records from more than 100 law enforcement agencies in the article, Law Enforcement’s Lost or Stolen Gun Problem, published in 2018. They discovered that the 100 agencies had collectively reported the loss or theft of at least 1,781 guns between 2008 and 2017. That’s an average of 178 guns per year for those 100 agencies. Keep in mind that there are over 15,400 law enforcement agencies across the United States. Those numbers really add up!
Of the reported 1,781 guns stolen from law enforcement in the study, nearly half of these stolen guns were taken from police vehicles. Glove boxes, trunks, floorboards, and seats were among the most common places weapons were stolen, showing a police vehicle alone is not a secure enough location for a weapon with criminals becoming more and more brazen.
To put it simply, law enforcement isn’t immune to the weapon theft problem, and law enforcement vehicles may be seen as high-risk, high-reward targets since criminals know they’re likely carrying a high-powered weapon. If a weapon is successfully stolen, consequences can be severe for both officers and the community.
So what’s the best solution?
In the article published by Police One magazine, Police firearms tracking: How to prevent a cop’s gun from getting lost or stolen, there are several steps outlined that a department can take to combat today’s brazen criminals.
The first solution proposed in the article is “to ensure that all officers are trained on how to secure their firearm when it isn’t on their person.” This is important, but training officers on proper storage of weapons inside a vehicle doesn’t work if there’s nowhere safe to store it.
That is why the second solution proposed in the article, “to ensure staff have an appropriate secure storage space for their firearm when it is not strapped to their side,” is the most effective solution in the ongoing battle against weapon theft. This deterrent is designed to be a direct obstacle to weapon thieves, which are notorious for their “smash and grab” behavior.
The Estes AWS Rapid Access Weapon Locker is one such deterrent.
Estes AWS Weapon Lockers provide security and easy access
Estes AWS Weapon Lockers are mounted in the rear of a vehicle, strategically installed to keep weapons out of sight and out of mind for criminals. Officers can even gain more storage space by taking advantage of our stackable and customizable accessories for SUVs.
Our lockers are engineered with security in mind, and they are manufactured from steel so they delivery top-quality durability in the event thieves do find them. While a thief with plenty of time and the right tools can eventually break into anything, our locker is designed to discourage “smash and grab” criminals who are looking for a quick score.
Lastly, each locker is designed to open automatically by wireless remote, granting officers rapid access at the click of a button in the case of an emergency. A manual override key is provided as well, to keep the locker operational in the event of a vehicle power failure.
Choose Estes AWS, a weapon security solution designed with officers in mind
Is your department ready to invest in weapon lockers built for security and accessibility? Contact us on our website or by phone at 901-833-2800!