Gun show II the Gun Pipeline
THE GUN PIPELINE Potential customers look over pistols on display at the Great Southern Gun and Knife Show at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, Sunday, January 31, 2016. Last year, 164 people were murdered in New Orleans. 91% of them were killed by gunfire. In this ongoing series, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune will examine the sources of guns used in crimes across the region. (Photo by Ted Jackson, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune)
Nearly three guns, on average, are stolen every day in New Orleans and unincorporated Jefferson Parish. Law enforcement officials sat weapons are often taken from residences where they are stored in unsecured areas such as closets, unlocked drawers and under beds.
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NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
Worse, they said, some gun owners leave weapons in unlocked cars.
To decrease the number of stolen weapons, law enforcement agencies, in addition to the National Rifle Association, suggest the following tips for gun owners:
- Store all weapons, unloaded, in a secure location such as a lock box or gun safe.
- Use safety mechanisms that render the guns inoperable by anyone but the legal owners, including trigger locks or cable locks.
- Store ammunition in a separate location, apart from the firearm. This is also a good tip to prevent accidental discharge of guns by children or others.
- Write down or photograph the serial numbers of all firearms so you have a record to provide police, in the event the guns are stolen.
- If gun owners leave weapons in their vehicles, the firearms should be unloaded and stored in a lock box or safe that is attached to the seat by a steel cable.
