Guns and firearms can be a top target of thefts and burglaries, and Florida has the most gun thefts in the country. In Gulfport, most guns get stolen from unlocked cars, according to police.
Gulfport Police say thieves have taken eight firearms so far this year. Seven of those thefts have been from vehicles, according to crime numbers. The other one was from a residential burglary, where the burglar smashed the window to get inside the home.
Police said all seven of the reported gun thefts from cars involved unlocked vehicles.
Gulfport Police Sgt. Thomas Woodman said locking vehicles and residencies is key to avoiding burglaries and thefts.
“As far as the burglaries are concerned, the vast majority occur to unlocked property. We have also done many public awareness things to address this but some people continue to choose not to lock their stuff. Crimes of opportunity are the vast majority of theft/burglaries we incur,” Woodman said.
There were 1,214 firearms reported stolen in Florida in 2020, according to U.S Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). That’s the most of any U.S. state. ATF reports there were 7,182 firearms and other weapons reported stolen last year nationally. Florida makes up 17% of that national total.
