Ohio Rolls Out Stolen Gun Portal to Increase Sales Transparency

[MechAg94]

Ohio Rolls Out Stolen Gun Portal to Increase Sales Transparency
https://www.gunsamerica.com/digest/ohio-rolls-out-stolen-gun-portal/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=20210205_FridayDigest_316&utm_campaign=/digest/ohio-rolls-out-stolen-gun-portal/

To check to see if a gun is hot, users simply enter the firearm’s serial number into the searchable database.  If there’s a match, the user is then instructed to contact the law enforcement agency that made the report.

“We believe this will assist law enforcement in Ohio with the recovery of many stolen weapons, which will enable us to return them to the proper owner as well as keep stolen firearms off the streets and out of the criminals’ hands,” said Hardin County Sheriff Keith Everhart, president of the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association.

There is no law on the books compelling gun owners to use the database, at least not yet.  Moreover, supporters emphasized that it is not a gun owner registry. 

I like the idea.  I hope it is used properly and kept up to date.  I also hope they include enough make&model information with the serial number so it doesn't have too many false positives.  I guess I also have the question if you find out a used gun you have was stolen before you got hold of it, can you turn it in without further consequences. 

Other than that, as long as no personal information is included and the database is maintained such that found guns are removed, I think it should work.  I knew a guy who managed a pawn shop many years ago and they calls the cops to check every gun that came in.

[K Frame]

No way in hell would I ever enter query into that database from my home or work computers or my phone.

I'd also make damned sure to use a VPN.

Ohio is just anti-gun enough that I could see this being co-opted in the background to gather data that's absolutely not in the law-abiding citizen's best interests.

[zahc]

Sounds voluntary... seems like a good idea to me. Can we do it everywhere then tell the gun grabbers that we have gun registration now?

[Brad Johnson]

I like the voluntary part, but I also share Mike's concern. Also, a system like this is great until some intern, assistant, or office monkey mis-keys a S/N entry, especially if Mike's concerns about co-opting come to fruition (which they likely will, it's too tempting a target).

Brad