JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city is seeing an uptick in the number of guns stolen from unlocked cars, according to new data from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
New numbers show that in 2020, there were 522 incidents in which guns were stolen from unlocked cars.
In 2019, there were 63 fewer reported incidents, which comes out to 459. In 2018, there 407 logged events, a difference of 52.
“We have done these stories time and time again, and we often remind gun owners they have got to be more responsible and conscious of where their weapons are at all times,” said News4Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson. “People just become careless.”
Jefferson says the worst place to store a weapon is in an automobile. He had this to say about thieves who get hold of a firearm:
“The perpetrator is going to do one of two things: Going to use it for another crime or they are going to try and sell it,” Jefferson said.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office used to send nightly reminders out via social media for people to lock their car doors. It was known as the 9 p.m. routine. It also served as a reminder for people to remove their valuables from their vehicle.
When asked via email if the Sheriff’s Office still encourages the 9 p.m. routine, a spokesperson responded: “Yes sir.”