Illinois, Texas, California, Ohio. Kentucky, North Carolina, and Indiana. There is almost no state in the U.S. where gun shops have not been under attack -- and almost no state where any mandated preventive measures of significance is underway to stop the attacks.
For a chronicle of just some recent theft-by-vehicle cases at gun shops, please take a look at our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ramraidthefts/
Here is the length that one store owner in Rocklin California went to in order to prevent thieves from ramming vehicles into his store:
For a chronicle of just some recent theft-by-vehicle cases at gun shops, please take a look at our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ramraidthefts/
Here is the length that one store owner in Rocklin California went to in order to prevent thieves from ramming vehicles into his store:
These Crash & Grab ramraids are dangerous, they are costly, and they result in guns and ammunition available on the street to people who would not legally be able to purchase them. At a time when gun crime is highly visible and crimes against police becoming more and more of a concern, the lack of coordinated action by the ATF, insurance underwriters, store owners, and local law enforcement is baffling.
Defending storefronts (and back entrances) is simple and does not need to be very expensive. Two years ago, ASTM announced the completion of a new test standard (F-3016) which is used to test and verify the effectiveness of any kind of barrier subjected to a 30MPH impact from a 5000LB vehicle. Such bollards or barriers would be perfectly capable of preventing vehicle-into-building thefts such as we are seeing now in these sorts of cases.
Why hasn't the retail firearms industry taken this up? I have not seen anything from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (http://www.nssf.org) despite more than two years of communication on my part. I have not seen anything from the American Firearms Retailers Association (http://www.theafra.org/) or even the NRA. Local law enforcement bears the brunt of the crime AND the consequences of guns on the street illegally, and are limited to action in their own communities. As for the insurance companies and the ATF -- I guess we will need to wait for information from them before we have an answer to why they remain in the background.
Crash & Grab ramraids at gun shops are foreseeable, they are predictable, and they are preventable. I think it is past time to be increasing prevention and increase safety for everyone.
Defending storefronts (and back entrances) is simple and does not need to be very expensive. Two years ago, ASTM announced the completion of a new test standard (F-3016) which is used to test and verify the effectiveness of any kind of barrier subjected to a 30MPH impact from a 5000LB vehicle. Such bollards or barriers would be perfectly capable of preventing vehicle-into-building thefts such as we are seeing now in these sorts of cases.
Why hasn't the retail firearms industry taken this up? I have not seen anything from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (http://www.nssf.org) despite more than two years of communication on my part. I have not seen anything from the American Firearms Retailers Association (http://www.theafra.org/) or even the NRA. Local law enforcement bears the brunt of the crime AND the consequences of guns on the street illegally, and are limited to action in their own communities. As for the insurance companies and the ATF -- I guess we will need to wait for information from them before we have an answer to why they remain in the background.
Crash & Grab ramraids at gun shops are foreseeable, they are predictable, and they are preventable. I think it is past time to be increasing prevention and increase safety for everyone.
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