Police: As Gun Sales Increase, So Could Gun Thefts
The Safe Place was feature on this channel 2 news segment:
With an increase in gun sales across our area in recent months, police say gun thefts could become a bigger problem.
Police say more than 80% of burglaries happen in the daytime when homeowners aren’t around.
And once criminals get in, many head straight for the gun case.
“They’re easy targets. A lot of people don’t like to put them in safes because they can’t get to them in a safe. The bad guys know that and they know where the common hiding places are,” says Sgt. Patrick Dreelan.
Police say the problem is most people don’t think they could ever be victims.
They told us right around half of gun owners don’t even have a secure hiding spot.
Most folks simply put their guns in obvious places like a closet as well as under mattresses and nightstands.
“Put it somewhere where you wouldn’t think you would find a gun. If you need to put it in a safe when you go to work, make sure it’s a large safe, something that can’t be picked up and taken away.”
At businesses like The Safe Place on Greg Street in Sparks, you can find just about anything you need to protect your guns. If you plan on buying one of their certified safes, you can expect to spend anywhere from $900 to $9,000.
“Make sure you bolt it down, if at all possible,” said Pete Callos of The Safe Place. “Whether it’s a sub-floor or concrete, anything is better than nothing.”
Police gave us a few other tips for protecting your homes – as well.
They say a good way is with better locks.
Also, an alarm system is a great way to keep intruders out.
Police also suggest neighbors band together to keep an eye on each other’s homes.
And if you don’t want to spend the money on an alarm system, police say a big dog will do the trick as well.
Written by Adam Rasmussen
http://www.ktvn.com/story/21302768/police-as-gun-sales-increase-so-could-gun-thefts
Electronic Locks on Gun Safes
When comparing electronic locks the S&G lock that Fort Knox Gun Safes uses is by far the best in terms of reliability and management features. This S&G lock is not used by any other manufacturers that we carry. This lock is motorized instead of solenoid driven and is much more reliable in the long run. I have not seen a lot of problems with Liberty Gun Safes S&G direct drive lock so it would have to be mentioned next. It does require a turn of the collar around the keypad to lock and unlock it. The collar is connected to an aluminum barrel that connects to the lock and manually lifts and lowers the lock (this process will only allow the lock to lift with an entry code first). Changing the battery on this lock is the most complex of all electronic locks but it is managable and after some practice it will seem as simple as battery changing on any other lock. Liberty safes are also now using S&G Titan series locks which are redesigned locks that pass security tests from Underwriters Laboratory and other european testing facilities. The Titan series is only new to the USA and has been being used in Europe for a few years now. American Security makes their own lock which is the ESL10XL and ESL20XL locks. These locks works well and like the Fort Knox lock requires two 9 volt batteries to function properly. Winchester Gun Safes come with a Lagard swing bolt lock (or pivot lock) which work well and are the easiest and most user friendly lock to program and operate. The swing bolt design is less parts to have to fail. For more detailed instructions on operating a specific electronic lock for your gun safe visit The Safe Place web page titled Operating Your Safe.To prevent damage from occuring to your electronic lock make sure you have your handle leaning in the opposite direction you would unlock the gun safe. For example if your handle unlocks your safe in the right clockwise direction then lean the handle counterclockwise to the left before entering your code to unlock the safe.
California Gun Owners Facing More Restrictions
SB249 is a bill written to outlaw fixed magazine centerfire rifles. On Thursday, August 16th 2012, SB249 will be heard by the Appropriations Committee and there it will be decided whether this bill will be voted on by California state legislators. This could possibly lead to the seizure of legally purchased rifles by California residents in the past.
In the late 1700′s people would store their gun powder and muskets in a separate brick building on the edge of town called powder houses. It was important to store these items away from home because the homes were lit and heated with open flames and gun powder is highly flammable. In April of 1775 British troops tried to seize the powder houses because they declared them to be illegal arms, only based on the fact that they were privately owned by citizens. This new legislation is attempting to act in a similar manner as the British did over 200 years ago. It’s important to make your voices heard immediately and in a polite manner.
New Fort Knox Maverick Closet Vault Gun Safe
Fort Knox has added a new gun safe to the Maverick model line. It is called the Maverick Closet Vault and it is designed to fit into smaller areas where space is limited. With a 24″ width and an 18″ depth, the Maverick Closet Vault can help maximize closet space while providing security for firearms. The gun safe is available in a 60″ or a 40″ height. This is the highest quality gun safe available in this size. It has a 45 minute fire rating, weighs 503lbs. and is available in 4 textured finishes. High gloss paint upgrades are also available as well as a 60 minute fire rating upgrade. Textured finishes include black, dark granite, light granite and rimrock. This gun safe is U.L. Listed for residential security.
Liberty Centurion Safe Only $399.99
The Liberty Centurion CN12 gun safe is on sale for $399.99. But you have to hurry. This sale is for a limited time only.
When a Gun Cabinet is Not Good Enough
On July 12th 2012 a member of The Firing Line Forum wrote:
” Today I regret not having a better gun safe.
Had a forced entry last night and they got into my locked steel gun cabinet. Three hunting rifles and three revolvers are now in the data base as stolen.
1894 307 Win ….serial number in the mmddyy of my birth… ain’t getting over it in this lifetime
788Rem 308 was a 30+year friend and a tack driver.
Ruger M77 Stainless 358 went also
Virginian Dragoon 44 mag, Taurus and NEF 22 revolvers.
Could have been much worse. They left more guns than they took, and a bag of silver coins in with the guns. Cops may come for the prints being hand guns were taken… maybe not…
I think a better safe and alarm system may come before I replace any of my toys.”
Its no fun to hear from folks that are victims of theft. Gun owners need to realize that firearms are a top priority for criminals and thieves will take guns first over anything besides cash. Guns are the last thing we want in the hands of burglars. It is important to educate the public on crime so everyone is aware of what’s going on and can make a decision on what safety precautions should be taken.
4th Of July Sale on Gun Safes
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The Safe Place will be running a July 4th newspaper ad for sales on gun safes in the local Reno Gazette Journal. This ad will feature sales on various Winchester Gun Safes such as the Winchester Ranger Deluxe 19 for $799, Winchester Silverado Premier 38 for $1699, and Winchester Legacy Premier 53 for $2992. The Silverado Premier and Legacy Premier are stout heavy safes made up of a thicker 10 gauge body. The Safe Place will also be taking preorder sale prices on certain Liberty and Superior products as they prepare for shipments to arrive within two weeks. If your looking for gun safes priced right for the holiday come down to 1475 Greg St. Sparks, NV 89431. If your located in California or other surrounding states call The Safe Place at 775-358-7233 for low shipping rates and no sales tax. You may also get shipping rates on the website without logging in or creating an account. Just click buy now to enter a specific gun safe (weight) to the shopping cart. As long as there’s a product in the checkout shopping cart it will give you an option to add your zip code at the bottom of the page. It should also give you what the freight turn around time will be from The Safe Place to you. Let’s all be sure to be safe this 4th of July!
Gun Sales Up, Violent Crime Down
The FBI recently published crime statistics for 2011. The statistics show a 4 percent decrease in 3 out of 5 violent crime categories while all 5 categories dropped. The Midwest region of the United States experienced the largest decrease. These statistics may be connected to the recent increase in gun ownership. According to Fox News gun sales have exploded. Property crimes such as larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft for 2011 dropped when compared to 2010. More so in cities with populations between 50,000 to 99,000. Motor vehicle theft decreased in cities of all sizes.
With the burglary offenses of the country showing no improvement and gun ownership increasing, it is important for the individuals that are participating in the purchasing of firearms to ensure that they are secured in a gun safe. Violent crime rates stand a better chance of continuing to drop when Americans use their weapons responsibility.
Removing The Metal Stands from Your Winchester Gun Safe
Taking the gun safe to the ground is managable and well worth it from a security stand point. There are also instructions about doing this included with all winchester gun safes. Keep in mind the door holds about 30% of the gun safes’s total weight. You can use this to your advantage by opening the door all the way, which will distribute alot of the weight to the right side, making the left side of the gun safe lighter. Once you push up from the left side have someone pull the left skid out. Be sure to put a blanket or some sort of cushion underneath the corner of the door so it doesn’t hit the concrete and chip the paint. Have your helper stabilize the door while doing this so it doesn’t swing shut. Once the skid is removed bring the left side of the gun safe to the ground and close the door. Next you’ll need to repeat this for the right side (hinge side). You won’t have the door working to your advantage but the gun safe will already be leaning to the left giving you some leverage. After the gun safe reaches the ground I recommend using a thick plastic pipe or wooden dowel (old broom stick cut into about 24″ lengths) to move the gun safe into its final position. With the door closed get to the back of the gun safe and lean it from the back forward and kick the pipe or dowel underneath it in the direction you would like it to move. You can leapfrog pipes to travel the gun safe a good distance. Once its in place bolt the gun safe down so no one can use this same technique against you. The Safe Place website has all Winchester gun safes available to choose from here. Call The Safe Place for more information at 775-358-7233.
