It is an established fact that most criminals use stolen guns, often purchased on the black market. Studies confirm this, and it’s why many of us argue that gun control is perpetually doomed to fail. After all, efforts to keep guns out of the hands of criminals ignore the fact that criminals don’t obey the law.
However, a South Carolina lawmaker is using this fact to try and push for a bill that seeks to potentially punish the victims of crimes instead of those who commit them. In particular, the theft of a firearm.
Williams said House Bill 3683 would require people to report their stolen or lost guns. “There are people who are stealing weapons and there is no accountability. For these weapons and these weapons are in the back on the streets. I wanted to make sure that folks are reporting their weapons when they were stolen. Or when they are lost. Or misplaced.” The bill requires an “owner or other person lawfully in possession of a firearm, rifle or shotgun to report the loss or theft of each such weapon, to require the appropriate law enforcement agency to collect certain information regarding a lost or stolen weapon, and to provide graduated penalties for the failure to report a lost or stolen weapon.” “Folks break into vehicles. Folks break into people’s homes. Steal weapons all the time. And all we are asking for all these reports to be made to law enforcement,” said Williams.