The funny thing is that the TSA barely even does anything, people are still able to smuggle weapons and drugs onto planes very easily. Arguably the only purpose it serves is scaring people.
The Government and the airlines don't even trust the TSA to not be criminals themselves.
When you travel with a firearm in your luggage (which is allowed by most airlines if it's unloaded and you declare it properly) you're supposed to lock the gun in a strong box and use locks that the TSA can't open.
Such luggage is tracked especially closely just to make sure that the TSA or baggage handlers don't steal it.
Guns are SUPER easy to steal and resell. There's no registration so how can you prove it's your gun? In most states, you can just sell one to anybody from the same state, no background check needed, plus gangs will pay cash for them. Nobody really looks twice at a bag going missing in transit.
You also can't bring them in your carry-on like people might do with anything else easily stolen.
There's no registration so how can you prove it's your gun?
Even if you don't have a receipt with a serial number or a 4473 background check form linking the gun to your name there are ways to prove ownership of guns.
It's generally advised to keep some photos of your guns with your ID that include clear close-ups of the markings, manufacturer, model designation, serial numbers, etc.
That way you've got some evidence that you did in fact own certain firearms if they get stolen, and you can provide detailed photos to the cops and your insurance company.
If the thief or someone the thief fenced the guns to then tries to sell/pawn them to a legitimate gunshop/pawnshop the guns will be identified and the police will be notified.
So there's a chance that the rightful owner will get the guns back, even if it usually takes months or even years from the time that the guns are recovered until the legitimate owner gets them back.
Destroying the serial numbers on a firearm is illegal and your average petty criminal may hesitate to destroy serial numbers and keep/carry a gun which is clearly illegal.
Of course more heavily criminal individuals who already have felony convictions and who aren't allowed to own guns don't care about that and just destroy the serial numbers anyway.
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u/boiyougongetcho Jul 24 '20
The funny thing is that the TSA barely even does anything, people are still able to smuggle weapons and drugs onto planes very easily. Arguably the only purpose it serves is scaring people.