Germany - Man Loses Gun License for Sleeping With One Under his Pillow

[Ben]

Personally I don't think it's the greatest idea when there are equally accessible but probably safer options available, and the guy wasn't too bright with the whole threat thing, but stay out of the bedroom govt!

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081125/od_nm/us_revolver_pillow_1

BERLIN (Reuters) – A German man who slept with a loaded revolver under his pillow has lost his gun license after a court ruled it to be irresponsible behavior.

The 56-year-old was stripped of his license for failing to store the weapon properly, Braunschweig administrative court judge Torsten Baumgarten told Reuters Tuesday. The gun was only discovered by chance during a police inspection.

"His home was being checked because he had threatened to throw a hand grenade if the city council approved plans to build a high-voltage power line in his neighborhood," Baumgarten said. "The decision to take his license was made independently."

Baumgarten said the ruling, which sets a legal precedent in Germany, in effect outlaws sleeping on top of a firearm -- because the owner of the gun is not in control of the weapon and is therefore putting himself and others at risk.

"Anyone could come along and take the gun away from him, his wife for example," Baumgarten said. The man, who also owned several other weapons, said he kept the gun under his pillow because he feared burglars.

[Regolith]

And the moral of the story is?

Don't threaten to throw hand grenades at city councils for stupid $%^# if you have things laying around that could get you in trouble. Also?  Keep the pistol on your night stand. It's easier to get to and a lot more comfortable. 

[MicroBalrog]

So wait, was his gun confiscated for making threats against the local government? Or for keeping it under his pillow? Inquiring minds want to know.

[MicroBalrog]

"Anyone could come along and take the gun away from him, his wife for example," Baumgarten said.

Am I the only one who sees the TERRIBLE MIND-BENDING STUPIDITY of that phrase?

[Ben]

So wait, was his gun confiscated for making threats against the local government? Or for keeping it under his pillow?

The way I read it, the threat was what got the police in his home, but the wording in the article seems to indicate that confiscating the gun was for completely different, apparently "safety" reasons. Who knows if that's the truth or if it was conveniently used as an excuse to take a gun from a guy who had made threatening remarks.

[MicroBalrog]

The way I read it, the threat was what got the police in his home, but the wording in the article seems to indicate that confiscating the gun was for completely different, apparently "safety" reasons. Who knows if that's the truth or if it was conveniently used as an excuse to take a gun from a guy who had made threatening remarks.

But then, why did they let him keep his other guns?

[Ben]

Good point MB, if it was because they thought he was a threat. Otherwise it could be the other guns were rifles or shotguns, or even air rifles. Germany has separate required education programs and licenses for different types of weapons and uses. Knowing how big of sticklers my fellow krauts are with following regulations to the letter, they may have only applied this enforcement to the handgun license.

[Uncle Bubba]

Am I the only one who sees the TERRIBLE MIND-BENDING STUPIDITY of that phrase?

Nope.

[roo_ster]

Am I the only one who sees the TERRIBLE MIND-BENDING STUPIDITY of that phrase?

My vision is correctable to 20/20.  I see that stupidity clear as the veins on the back of my arm.

[HankB]

If the German government sees his wife as being part of the problem, shouldn't they have removed her?

The gun was only discovered by chance during a police inspection.

Do police in today's Germany need a warrant to search one's house, or can they come around and snoop ("fishing expedition") whenever they want if you own a gun?