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  1. #1

    Default Guns stolen, then recovered, now in ballistics, suspects

    Long story short.
    While overseas my house was burgled, and 2 firearms were stolen out of the safe. A Browning shotgun, and a Sako 222. The Rifle did not have a bolt, and the chokes were not fitted in the shotgun.

    1 month later cops phone me the guns had been recovered in someone's back yard, suspects in custody, can I come and confirm? Go to the station, they show me the serial numbers, yes they are my guns.

    The guns have been sent to ballistics for testing, and now I am worried that they might fire the shotgun with no chokes, and potentially damage the threads. They can't fire the rifle, there's no bolt, so not too worried there.

    i am just concerned about potential damage. How long does the ballistics process take?

    anyone got their guns back after testing and found the gun damaged?

  2. #2
    Moderator Skaaphaas's Avatar
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    Default Re: Guns stolen, then recovered, now in ballistics, suspects

    Get in touch with the IO immediately to be put in touch with the ballistics dept. Offer your cooperation, offer to take the bolt and the chokes there and explain your concern. Heck they may even let you attend their "testing", for all we know. The only thing it can achieve is getting your guns back sooner.
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  3. #3
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    Default Re: Guns stolen, then recovered, now in ballistics, suspects

    Excuse my ignorance but can they actually do a conclusive ballistic check on a shotgun?

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    Default Re: Guns stolen, then recovered, now in ballistics, suspects

    Quote Originally Posted by rgm108 View Post
    Excuse my ignorance but can they actually do a conclusive ballistic check on a shotgun?
    Exactly what I was thinking now as well...

  5. #5
    Moderator SSP's Avatar
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    Default Re: Guns stolen, then recovered, now in ballistics, suspects

    Quote Originally Posted by rgm108 View Post
    Excuse my ignorance but can they actually do a conclusive ballistic check on a shotgun?
    It is a common, media-propagated, myth that ballistic matching is done only by comparing recovered projectiles.

    While this is possible, it is, as I understand it, far more common to examine recovered cases.

    Thus, fired cases from a shotgun are just as useful as fired cases from anything else.
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  6. #6

    Default Re: Guns stolen, then recovered, now in ballistics, suspects

    If there was no bolt with the rifle then why would they want to test it? Did the criminals use another bolt?

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    Default Re: Guns stolen, then recovered, now in ballistics, suspects

    Quote Originally Posted by Taranis View Post
    If there was no bolt with the rifle then why would they want to test it? Did the criminals use another bolt?
    It's just standard procedure to run any guns linked to crime through ballistics. Tha fact that crucial parts are missing would not have crossed their minds. The guys in the ballistics lab would be the first to notice it. That would however not likely stop them from firing the shotgun without the chokes. One wonders how they would handle the rifle.

    @1911, maybe you can chip in here?

  8. #8

    Default Re: Guns stolen, then recovered, now in ballistics, suspects

    i managed to get a contact name and number for ballistics, I will see what I can do.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Guns stolen, then recovered, now in ballistics, suspects

    Probably to make things a little easier, get the SAP13 store numbers at the police station that handed your firearms into ballistics. Also have your case no as well as the other case no. for when they found the guns.

    This all makes it so much easier when speaking to forensics. If you have the evidence bag no's of the firearms is always a bonus too. The more info the better.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Guns stolen, then recovered, now in ballistics, suspects

    My stolen rifles were sent to ballistics in January and apparently they have been ready for collection for over a month and the IO hasn't collected yet! HOPEFULLY this week! Rifles were stuffed before they went to ballistics so won't be able to see how well they looked after them. My Air Arms pellet gun also got sent to ballistics, it was in pretty good nick when we found it so will see how it looks! Didn't realize a pellet gun needed to be sent to ballistics either


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