WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A gun is stolen from a car in the United States every nine minutes, according to the group Everytown for Gun Safety.
The group took FBI crime data and found the rate of gun thefts tripled over the past 10 years. Nationally, those numbers show that Americans are buying more guns, and not securing them safely.
That survey did not have any data from Florida. However, area law enforcement leaders tell WPTV more guns are stolen from cars, not homes.
The Martin County Sheriff's Office has been warning its citizens about gun thefts from cars for a few years.
In 2022, the office leading advocate released a video two years ago of crooks getting into an unlocked car in Palm City and stealing a firearm.
Crime
6 guns stolen from unlocked vehicles in first 12 days of 2022
It was one of six cases in a 12-day period when thieves stole guns from cars in Martin County.
In 2023, Martin County had 40 gun thefts, and most were from unlocked cars.
Chief Deputy John Budensiek said most of the time the guns are never recovered.
"We normally make an arrest in the case," he said. "But by the time the arrests are made, the guns are normally on the street, likely sold to other criminals, who can then use these guns for violent crimes."
Budensiek said people who carry firearms in their cars should either bring them in their houses when they're home for the night, or have a device in their vehicles where they're secure from thieves and always lock your cars.
