Guns Used in Yakima Crimes Are Stolen From Your Car

With so many gang related shootings reported in Yakima this year where are all the guns coming from? Yakima Police say a majority of the guns are stolen from the streets of Yakima.

If you carry a gun lock it in the glovebox before you leave your vehicle

Earlier this year the Yakima Police Department created a video on social media and they're asking for your help to cut serious crime by locking up your firearms whether you're at home or in your vehicle. Making sure your gun is locked while in your vehicle is vitally important say police because they say 50% of all guns stolen in Yakima come from vehicle prowls. Authorities say the guns are then used on the street in many serious crimes including gang related shootings.

Don't just place your gun under your seat if you can't carry it with you

So if you own a gun what can you do?
The department is asking Yakima residents to partner with them and helping to curb the stolen gun problem by locking up your firearms when they're in your vehicle. They say sometimes people will place a gun under a seat or in an unlocked glove compartment if they can't carry the gun. Police say that's how thieves get the guns. They say if you find yourself in that situation always lock your firearm in the glovebox or install a lockbox or gun safe in your vehicle. Police say by doing that you can partner with the police department and help them curb serious gun crimes in Yakima including gang related crime.

Thousands of guns are stolen every year

According to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during the four-year period from 2012 to 2015, nearly half a billion dollars worth of guns were stolen from individuals nationwide, amounting to an estimated 1.2 million guns. Twenty-two thousand guns were stolen from gun stores during this same period. A gun is stolen in the U.S. every two minutes.