Guns stolen from Delta checked luggage (flown FNT-MSP-SEA)
 

Here is some troublesome news from KING-5 in Seattle, about two weapons stolen from the checked luggage belonging to Ryan Shannon, a former Army Ranger:

KING-5 Television:
Guns stolen from checked luggage
September 10, 2013

A short quote:

My gut says you summon the airport cops and file a police report. At least with firearms there's a nice paper trail. Unless you're in NYC without a permit. :D

Is there a suggestion that DL did something wrong in this situation? The chain of custody of checked luggage involves the TSA, airline personnel and, at many stations, non-airline contracted personnel.

It's great that this guy thinks that he should have waited around for DL to find his guns but...honestly? By this time this guy arrived at his destination those weapons were long gone. Losing a weapon in the military is very different than having a weapon stolen somewhere between three airports and almost 2,000 miles.

Stolen guns are a law enforcement issue, not an issue for DL to fix on the spot.

I would have to agree with filing an actual police report (not DL report). I would have no expectation the firearms made it to the next airport, but sure enough would have a police officer's signature on my statement and allow them to escalate with DL/TSA/whoever to attempt to find them.

I have never traveled with firearms stored in anything smaller than a rifle case. A small pistol case is too easy for light fingered crooks handling the bags along the way to grab and disappear. A rifle case is a lot harder for them to grab. It also has the added advantage of being checked luggage, so the airline is liable if it goes missing.

Mr. Kipper has used a pistol case if he was only taking a pistol, but most times, will take a rifle case. When he's used just a pistol case, he's checked that as a separate item.

Agreed, a police report is a must for a lost/stolen firearm. You never know whose hands it could end up in. Best to start the (legal) paper trail immediately.

And as discussed in the TS&S forum, if anonymous criminals can steal items FROM checked luggage and leave the airport with impunity, unscreened bad guys could arrange to stick things INTO checked luggage. 100% background checking, video, and patdowns of TSA baggage screeners and handling staff would be another good layer of security. But it won't be done because it doesn't add to the public theater aspect of American security, and airlines like Delta find it cheaper to just issue checks when items get pilfered.

Luckily, I never had to check mine. One of the advantages of law enforcement. We were more concerned with keeping track of those we were escorting. Many opportunities for an escape, though most often very brief!!!

I really can't stand people who steal from others. It would make me sick to have my firearms stolen. Especially where they are supposed to be somewhat protected and handled by people with security clearances of some sort...

I think we already know they ended up in a criminal's hands. Only criminals steal from checked luggage.

x2

I ALWAYS check my firearms case as an independent item.
Stuffing it into another case only complicates any problem that might come up.

I wonder if this guy is back at it??? From April 2013.... http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle...201462461.html

Crazy. I travel with guns quite often for matches, and instead of a big shooting bag, I started putting guns into a small pistol case with a lock, then put that into a checked bag, with another lock.

On one occasion I got the lock back where someone tried to get in.

Better idea, let gun owners bring unloaded guns on the plane, and ammo has to be checked.

Ammo is trivial to smuggle in body cavities through the nude-o-scopes. But TSA is so terrified of the appearance of a weapon (in belt buckles and on t-shirts) that nothing will ever happen that might benefit us.