Why do criminals scratch off serial numbers?

kid-with-a-12-gauge-110kid-with-a-12-gauge-110
in Sports

If the gun is stolen,chances are unless you get caught using it in a crime the cops will NEVER run the numbers,if they do you go to jail for a stolen gun. But if you scratch the numbers off it automatically tells everyone the gun is stolen so you still go to jail for the stolen gun,chances are you wouldn't have if you didn't scratch the numbers. Plus,if the numbers are scratched you can never use the "I bought the gun from a neighbor,I had no clue it was stolen" plea.

I know criminals are stupid,but come on,seeing a scratched out part of a gun screams stolen.

Update:

Yahoo tried to put this in the Gambling section.

Comments

  • sombodysombody

    Supposedly it makes the gun harder to trace.

  • the-freak-showthe-freak-show

    Any gun that's "in the system" can at least be traced back to one of its owners. From there, it may be possible to trace it. Also, if the gun was stolen, the numbers can tie the user to that crime. Let's say the gun was stolen during a crime that resulted in murder. That is much more serious than just being in possession of a gun that has had the numbers removed. I can think of many different reasons to remove the numbers.

    But I do agree with you! Most low level criminals are stupid, or they would have found a less risky way to make a living.

  • who-was-1who-was-1

    Obsolete. Modern tech can use high tech to tell what the #s were, so grinding them off is stupid.

    Easier to (like cell phones) use it once or twice and then throw it away.

    Welcome to the 21st century!

    and where's my flying car??!! ,)

    EDIT: About a decade and a half ago MacArthur Park in Los Angeles had to be drained for maintenance. It required a couple or 3 dump trucks to haul away all the guns they found at the bottom of the pond.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHS8hj4TdT8

    Used to be better, back in the day, but now it is dangerous ground.

    Tse la Vis

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOJlAcPbmCM

    I miss Los Angeles, but it is gone now, being taken over one house at a time by Mexico. USA should sell it to Mexico while it is still worth something.....

  • daviddavid

    If you get caught with the gun after committing a murder there is no way that they can match the bullet to your gun so you will only be prosecuted for scratching off the serial, much better than murder

  • true-amerigantrue-amerigan

    If you bought the gun and killed someone with it, or something, they can use the serial number to trace it back to you. If you stole the gun, I don't really see the point.

  • anonymousanonymous

    maybe they thought they have such good arts & crafts skill they can make it look like it had no serial to begin with! you know, like those pre-68 guns that didn't have serial?

    except it doesn't do a whole lot of good if it's clearly a post-68 gun, like a Glock...

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