DATE: July 24, 2024
Summary: With three cities in San Bernardino County leading the state in the recovery of unserialized guns, there is an increasing concern by law enforcement over the proliferation of untraceable firearms. Within the last year in the City of Needles, 74 firearms have been seized for various crimes. These include handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Most of the weapons have no registration record and at least one ghost gun was recovered.
As stated in the July 18, 2024, Sheriff’s Department Press Release, “Ghost guns, which are firearms assembled from kits or 3D-printed parts without serial numbers, have posed significant challenges for law enforcement across the state. These weapons bypass traditional legal firearms measures, making them nearly impossible to track. The surge in ghost guns has correlated with an increase in violent crimes within our county – including attempted murder of law enforcement officers.”
Firearm owners are encouraged to record the make, model, and serial number of all firearms so in the event of theft, weapons can be entered into the law enforcement stolen firearms computer system. Not all states have gun registration requirements so, often when a firearm is recovered, unless the owner reporting it stolen has serial numbers, identifying the weapon as stolen and locating the rightful owner is problematic.
The Colorado River Station – Needles Police is dedicated to keeping the community safe through proactive law enforcement, community engagement, and community awareness of crime trends. More information on California gun laws may be found at www.oag.ca.gov/firearms.
For press releases, news and information, follow the Colorado River Station on X at: @CORiverStation, Facebook and/or Instagram @SBCSDColoradoRiverStation
Refer: Ross Tarangle, Captain
Staion: Colorado River Station
Phone No: (760) 326-9200
SHANNON DICUS, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department
