U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)-– In a recent article aired on National Public Radio affiliate, Kansas City Police were given a platform to blame increasing crime rates on the restoration of Second Amendment rights. One of the first things noted was an increase in the reports of firearms stolen from vehicles in Kansas City, MO. From kcur.com:
In 2021, 613 guns were stolen from vehicles, compared with 498 in 2020, Capt. Sean Hutcheson said in a presentation to the Kansas City Police Board on Dec. 14. Police know the weapons are being used in crimes, he said.
“One of the drivers of our violence in Kansas City is easy access to guns,” Hutcheson said. “And since the early 2000s, a lot of our gun laws in the state have been relaxed. So people are more likely to be carrying guns and especially in their vehicles.”
Hutcheson makes a major jump in logic, asserting, without evidence, that “easy access to guns” is “One of the drivers of our violence in Kansas City…” There are numerous studies that show mere access to guns is not a driver of illegal violence.
The clearest indicator of illegal violence, murder, is not associated with rates of gun ownership. This is an attempt to place responsibility on inanimate objects rather than on personal decisions, ethics, and morality.
Missouri law applies to all of Missouri. These problems seem unique to particular areas of Kansas City. There are many areas in Missouri that have high gun ownership (access to guns) and low murder rates. The KCUR article notes where many thefts of guns are taking place:
The hotspots for vehicle thefts are the city’s entertainment districts, Hutcheson said, including Westport, the Power & Light District, the Crossroads District and the 18th & Vine District.
The police have video of what is driving the theft of guns in cars in this area. It is groups of criminals hitting places where they know people are being strongly pushed into leaving their defensive firearm in a vehicle.
Cathy Dean, a police board commissioner, said she’s seen videotape showing patrons trying to get into bars being caught by metal detectors revealing a weapon. The patron is then told to put their gun back in their car. That’s when the thieves strike, she said.
Hutcheson said groups are hitting 20 to 30 cars at a time, looking only for weapons.
“We have video. One person will just go and just pop windows and the guy behind him is going opening the door, checking the seat, the glove box, that’s it. These guns are unsecured in these vehicles,” he said.
There are obvious possible fixes to this problem that do not violate anyone’s rights. Places that serve alcohol could provide lockboxes for guns. Places that serve alcohol could allow armed people to carry in their establishment. Those places which refuse could be advertised as unfriendly to Second Amendment rights.
Police could use “bait” cars and guns, combined with strict consequences for those who are committing these crimes.
Signs could be placed informing people of the high risk of gun theft from vehicles in the area. Video monitoring with police “quick response” teams could be used to arrest perpetrators.
There are several “gun free zones” established by Missouri statute 571.106. Under Missouri law, managers of establishments who serve intoxicating liquors determine who may or may not carry in their establishment.
Places that serve intoxicating liquor are conditional gun free zones in Missouri. From 571.106 (7):
(7) Any establishment licensed to dispense intoxicating liquor for consumption on the premises, which portion is primarily devoted to that purpose, without the consent of the owner or manager.
Opinion:
I suspect most of the offenders are minors of specially protected groups, which the police view as dangerous to arrest and prosecute.
Blaming “access to guns” is an easy excuse for political decisions to not aggressively arrest and prosecute the criminals who are doing the stealing.
A very local problem in Kansas City is being used as a platform to attack Second Amendment rights in all of Missouri and in the USA.
Readers who are familiar with Kansas City are invited to add local knowledge to inform us further.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
“I suspect most of the offenders are minors of specially protected groups, which the police view as dangerous to arrest and prosecute.
Blaming “access to guns” is an easy excuse for political decisions to not aggressively arrest and prosecute the criminals who are doing the stealing.”
Nail hit squarely on head!!!!
Gun free zones create spaces for criminals to expand thier criminal activity and making law biding citizens leave thier guns in thier cars and houses create opportunities for criminals to steal them . Tough to steal my firearm while it’s on my body ! Logic is not a strong point for some people who work in law enforcement nor is doing thier job a necessity . Some are just there to collect a check .
Thanks for the article Dean. I live just outside KC and grew up in the county. KCMO AND KCK leadership, specifically the mayors and police chiefs are very anti 2A. They have a lot of support by way of extremely biased reporting from the formerly reputable KC Star news paper and the public radio station, KCUR.I used to financially support both but haven’t for a number of years due to their lack of credibility. To be fair, there is a serious problem in both entertainment districts they reported on and it IS because people are being required to leave their… Read more »
You say “managers … determine who may or may not carry in their establishment. Places that serve intoxicating liquor are conditional gun free zones in Missouri.” Private property owners everywhere may bar people carrying on their property – that ability is not distinctive to Missouri. The good news is, Missouri does not put the force of its law behind a prohibition in bars. That means the car gun storage theft problem is quick cheap and easy to solve, requiring no action from the police or city council: Just persuade the owners of the establishments to stop barring people from carrying… Read more »
And I blame the ineptness of LEO’s everywhere…
biggest driver of increase of vehicle thefts is politicians not letting law-abiding citizens carry where-ever they go. concealed carry citizens are the most law-abiding group in the country, why punish them? stop with the stupid laws that prevent people from carrying firearms with them. i have a lock box in my vehichles for those times when i cannot carry into a buuilding. unless they are searching i carry. i refrain from going to those places that prevent me from carrying from home unless absolutely necessary. courthouses and other (gun-free zones) should have to offer lock boxes for legal carrying persons… Read more »
I’d like to know precisely WHO is pushing this whinge from the KC Koppers. They have video. Tney’ve admitted it. they KNOW the MO of theB&E boys. WHY don’t they act agasint THOSE operators? Toss a handful of them into the ol CrowBar Hotel and t’row da book at em’. It would end overnight. And they KNOW it. Patrons should push the management oftheir favourite joints to provide gun lockers. My county offices do that. Simple. Not that expensive. Key with locker number tag along with, lockers readily vailble, walk in declare your need to secure your handgun, bouncer politely… Read more »
Years ago, I worked with a young guy who’s father was a Police Lieutenant in a Very Large city in Illinois. He once bragged that his father made an extra 10 grand on year by shaking down drug dealers. I’ll let you guess their race!
This seems to be a problem in a lot of Demon Rat controlled cities!
Oh, look! Government thugs blaming freedom for crime! Color me shocked!
Enforcers should work on retaining the firearms they carry/transport.
It would also be helpful if they worked a little harder to arrest violent criminals.