Well, what do you know...there ARE guns on the street!

[Manedwolf]

Oops: Member of SWAT team forgets rifle near scene of standoff

A member of the Salt Lake County SWAT team left a loaded M4 rifle near the scene of a standoff Friday in White City, Utah.

The Tribune says a "veteran" member of the tactical unit forgot his or her weapon in someone's front yard.

Deseret News reports that a jogger found the rifle about two hours after officers left the scene.

"It's a terrible mistake," Salt Lake County Sheriff's Deputy Levi Hughes tells the paper. "For this to happen one time is unacceptable. The public expects more out of us than this. We're going to take every step possible so that this never happens again."

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/11/oops-member-of.html

[Nick1911]

Alright, who would have kept it?  What would you do if you came across this situation?

I'd be leery of keeping such a things, since it's likely full auto, and was likely discarded after usage in some crime.

[Scout26]

Hmmm, I have some PVC on hand......

How about 2 S's  ??

Shovel and Shut-up......

[HankB]

Why don't I ever find neat stuff like this? 

(Wonder how many they lose . . . and don't recover?)

[BryanP]

I admit it, I'm a wussie.  If I saw something like that in my front yard, the instant I saw it had Da Switch(tm) I wouldn't even touch it.  I'd be on the phone to the police telling them to come get their toys.  

[Manedwolf]

I admit it, I'm a wussie.  If I saw something like that in my front yard, the instant I saw it had Da Switch(tm) I wouldn't even touch it.  I'd be on the phone to the police telling them to come get their toys. 

Well, you don't want to touch anything that's got the 10-year-prison switch on the thing, no. But I suspect many shooters might have a tax rebate in the form of a free ACOG (they paid for it anyway!) or the like before calling it in. Because, you know, that must have fallen off and was never found?

[Balog]

Do most SWAT teams really use NFA versions of the M4? Regardless, I'd be doing some PVC pipe shopping if a cop left a gun in my yard.

[roo_ster]

I know what would have happened if I did such a thing while on Uncle Sam's payroll.

I wonder what will happen to THIS guy?

==============

As to what I'd do if I found it...I'd report it, of course.   

FTR, I report every source of income, even pennies I find discarded on the street.      

[Owens]

Me...
Secure it (having daswitch or not) call them to come get their toys. It's just the right thing to do.
Give a little hell over it? sure.

[Manedwolf]

Me...
Secure it (having daswitch or not) call them to come get their toys. It's just the right thing to do.
Give a little hell over it? sure.

Now, "secure it" I would not do before calling. It'd stay on the grass, that's their problem.

Take it inside?

"Hello, police, I found your machine gun. What? Oh, I have it right here in my hous..."

*CRASH* POLICEGETONTHEFLOORGETDOWNNOWGETONTHEFLOOR! *thump* *handcuff*

"You are accused of stealing a weapon prohibited from unlicensed possession by the national firearms act. How plead you?"

No.

[41magsnub]

What if I dressed up a manikin in a SWAT uniform and armor and spray painted "Now I have a machine gun ho ho ho" on it? 

[El Tejon]

Someone I know, errrr, a good friend, left a Ruger 22/45 on the hitch of his SUV one morning years ago.  He drove to a coffee shop before the range and looked down and there was a Ruger 22/45.

Good thing I, er, he did not hit any potholes!

[Jamisjockey]

I admit it, I'm a wussie.  If I saw something like that in my front yard, the instant I saw it had Da Switch(tm) I wouldn't even touch it.  I'd be on the phone to the police telling them to come get their toys.  

I'd clear it and secure it so that it doesn't kill any innocent passerbys or cause any school shootings, call the media to come and be there as my witness, and the police to come and recover it.

[Standing Wolf]

...a "veteran" member of the tactical unit forgot his or her weapon in someone's front yard.

Only the police and military can be trusted with guns.

[Angel Eyes]

Why don't I ever find neat stuff like this? 

My thoughts exactly.  The only stuff left in my front yard are cigarette butts and the occasional empty beer can.

(Yes, I have classy neighbors.)

[Manedwolf]

My thoughts exactly.  The only stuff left in my front yard are cigarette butts and the occasional empty beer can.

(Yes, I have classy neighbors.)

My parents once found a stack of $50 bills next to their car in a supermarket parking lot. It was because someone had just robbed the bank, and there was money scattered all over. The cops didn't even thank my dad when he gave it to them, either.

[gunsmith]

if I knew it was a swat gun, I would keep it.
My tax dollars paid for it.

[freedom lover]

I'd probably put it behind the garbage can and put the mag under the can, then call the cops. I might take the upper off too if I knew how, just to bug them.

I'd probably do the same if I knew it was an illegal rifle. I don't want to go to jail.

[Manedwolf]

I'd probably put it behind the garbage can and put the mag under the can, then call the cops. I might take the upper off too if I knew how, just to bug them.

I'd probably do the same if I knew it was an illegal rifle. I don't want to go to jail.

Well, you could also just empty the mag and fill it with 5.56 blanks before calling the police, so when the armorer got it back, they'd yell at the cop who left it even more. (Or a cheap nonstandard mag loaded with Wolf, with the feedlips badly dented) Get them in even more trouble over the whole thing.

[freedom lover]

Well, you could also just empty the mag and fill it with 5.56 blanks before calling the police

Then the cops who picked it up would notice. I have no reason for vengeance, I would just like to annoy them. I guess its a teenage thing. I don't like most authority. I might even take the mag inside so that no idiot kid would shoot themselves with the rifle.

[280plus]

A good friend of errr, mine too left his High Standard sitting in the case on the ground right where I,,,errr, he put it in the range parking lot before forgetting to put it in the trunk of err, his car and driving off. After the mad dash that errr, he made back to retrieve it, miracles upon miracles there it was still sitting on the ground, in the dark in the middle of the empty lot. He was never ever more relieved than at that particular point in time.

 

[RaspberrySurprise]

What if I dressed up a manikin in a SWAT uniform and armor and spray painted "Now I have a machine gun ho ho ho" on it? 

Hans would be most displeased.

[MechAg94]

I think I would unload it and at least put it on my front porch.  There are too many kids playing around in my neighborhood.  I would call the police.  It is isn't worth it to me to risk that sort of penalty for possessing an illegal machine gun.  I could never be sure someone else hadn't already seen it or saw me pick it up.  Not worth it at all.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

I guess its a teenage thing. I don't like most authority


you are a teenager  its understandable  less so in a fortysomething guy who still has issues with his dad

[MechAg94]

Who is 40 something and has problems with their Dad? 

I would just look to make it safe and set it where some kid walking by wouldn't grab it.  If it was in a ditch somewhere away from my house, I probably would just leave it and call police. 

I guess I have some suspicion of authority as well, but no need to take it too far.  I wouldn't, say, take it inside my house and lock it in my safe after cleaning it.  That might give someone the idea that I was planning on keeping it.