Metro Atlanta city seeing more and more guns stolen from cars during break-ins

BROOKHAVEN, Ga. — Brookhaven has been dealing with an uptick of car break-ins. While on the search for firearms, thieves are breaking into vehicles no matter where they are parked.

“What we are seeing now, our criminals are becoming even more brazen, breaking into these cars forcibly,” Lt. David Snively with Brookhaven police said.

The thieves are breaking into parked vehicles in search of handguns, revolvers and even shotguns.

“During the first 60 days of this year, we have 31 guns that were stolen,” Snively said. “Those thefts took place during 20 separate instances and 17 of those were car break-ins, two burglaries in homes.”

Gun theft is a problem not just in Brookhaven and metro Atlanta, but nationwide.

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“Nationwide, the FBI tells us that more than 220,000 guns are stolen every year nationwide, and that is just a staggering number of guns available to people who want to harm to others,” Snively said.

Brookhaven police said that fewer than half of gun theft victims were able to provide a serial number. This can be a huge problem as officers work these cases.

“People should be recording serial numbers for all valuables, guns, electronic devices, computers tablets phones. That’s the only way we can meaningfully trace these weapons and return them to their rightful owners,” Snively said.

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