Connecticut Man Charged After Second Gun Theft From His Unlocked Vehicle

[10x25mm]

As the liberals tighten the screws on gun owners, we are likely to see charges like this more commonly filed:

https://www.westport-news.com/local/article/Man-arrested-after-guns-stolen-twice-from-his-13892246.php


Police: Westport man arrested after guns stolen twice from his unlocked car
Jim Shay -- May 24, 2019

WESTPORT - A 75-year-old Westport resident has been arrested in what police called his “intentional and reckless storage of firearms.”

George Benedetto was charged with two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment.

The charges stem from the theft of firearms - twice -from his unlocked vehicle.

On Oct, 18 2018,, Benedetto contacted police to report a firearm had been stolen from his unlocked vehicle during the overnight hours. The revolver and ammunition had been left in an unlocked glove compartment of an unsecured vehicle parked in his driveway.

Again on April 17, Benedetto contacted officers to report another firearm had been stolen from his unlocked vehicle during the overnight hours. A revolver and ammunition had been left in an unlocked glove compartment of an unsecured vehicle parked in his driveway.

Both firearms had been loaded and have not yet been recovered.

“Due to his intentional and reckless storage of firearms, an arrest warrant application for Benedetto was submitted and later approved.,” police said in a release,

On Monday, Benedetto turned himself in on the outstanding arrest warrant.

He was released after posting a $5,000 bond. Benedetto is scheduled to appear in Norwalk Court on May 28.

Blame the victim or repeat negligence? The guy is 75 years old and grew up in a far different America where thefts from automobiles simply didn't occur.

[Parkanzky]

It's both.

We are often being told that vehicles are being broken into in our neighborhood and that we shouldn't leave anything of value in our cars. This guy doesn't just do that, but then leaves the truck unlocked.

My gun might sit in my (locked) truck when I run into daycare to pick my kids up or to the post office, but it's definitely not going to routinely get stored in my unlocked truck parked on the street. We can have a long philosophical debate about whether he should be able to do that, but we probably all know that there's a solid chance of getting your gun stolen if you choose to.

I don't know if he committed a crime. That probably depends on the gun storage laws in Connecticut, but in MI, I'm not aware of any legal requirement to lock my gun up. But I consider owning/carrying a gun to be a responsibility and he is acting irresponsibly here. On top of that, he's also making a case for tougher gun laws, because if people aren't going to take care to keep them from ending up where they shouldn't be, then a case can be made for some legislation.

[PeeDee]

As the liberals tighten the screws on gun owners, we are likely to see charges like this more commonly filed:

https://www.westport-news.com/local/article/Man-arrested-after-guns-stolen-twice-from-his-13892246.php



Blame the victim or repeat negligence? The guy is 75 years old and grew up in a far different America where thefts from automobiles simply didn't occur.

Unfortunate.

BUT - IMO - He was still responsible for safeguarding a dangerous weapon - not much different than people whose dogs are allowed to run loose and tear people apart IMO or 'parents' whose 'kids' are running wild in the streets of Chicago, Baltimore, etc..

And if the 'times' in which he grew up were so 'different' from today, then he would not need a firearm for protection in these 'times'; but that 'difference' in 'times' mandates a 'difference' in how one protects not only himself but others from the risk of being irresponsible even while functioning under those 'differences.'.

... and if he just 'forgot' to take his weapon into his house and render it out of access to others, he also 'forgot' to lock his car (which would be just as bad if he left the gun in car and did lock it in these 'different' times) so it can well follow that he might someday just' forget' the gun is loaded and inflict grave injury on someone else simply because he 'can't remember' since his memory, like the 'times,' is also 'different' than it once was)

Sadly, he brought it on himself

[Leader]

It's both.

We are often being told that vehicles are being broken into in our neighborhood and that we shouldn't leave anything of value in our cars. This guy doesn't just do that, but then leaves the truck unlocked.

My gun might sit in my (locked) truck when I run into daycare to pick my kids up or to the post office, but it's definitely not going to routinely get stored in my unlocked truck parked on the street. We can have a long philosophical debate about whether he should be able to do that, but we probably all know that there's a solid chance of getting your gun stolen if you choose to.

What I KNOW is the chances of ANYTHING being stolen from my unlocked car are VERY small.
Count the number of cars parked in MI on any given day & then tell me how many had something stolen from them.

I don't know if he committed a crime. That probably depends on the gun storage laws in Connecticut, but in MI, I'm not aware of any legal requirement to lock my gun up. But I consider owning/carrying a gun to be a responsibility and he is acting irresponsibly here. On top of that, he's also making a case for tougher gun laws, because if people aren't going to take care to keep them from ending up where they shouldn't be, then a case can be made for some legislation.

Do you also believe everybody that has anything stolen should be charged?

[Parkanzky]

Do you also believe everybody that has anything stolen should be charged?

I do not. And as I said, I don't know if he committed a crime.

To address your point above that, my neighborhood page has at least weekly reports of people rifling through the contents of cars on entire blocks or walking through neighborhoods looking for unlocked car doors. I do believe that this guy acted irresponsibly.

[JST]

I agree with the above post Parkanzky posted. I understand how it could happen once as none of us are always the perfect responsible people we should be. However having it happen twice with the item taken being something that could be used to take a life I believe falls in the neglect category.

[Scoop]

The guy is 75 years old and grew up in a far different America where thefts from automobiles simply didn't occur.If he was old enough to have grown up when people owned slaves, would it be OK if he owned them today?

I don't care if he's 18, 57, 75 or 105. Responsible gun owners have an obligation to ... well ... make responsible decisions. This wasn't his first rodeo, so ... I agree with the charge. In fact, he should have be MORE aware of the possibility of it happening, being that it already happened once. Recklessness is a level of criminal culpability.

[Scoop]

Do you also believe everybody that has anything stolen should be charged?He's not being charged for being a victim. He's being charge for his recklessness: a higher level of culpability than negligence, but less than intent.

[Leader]

He's not being charged for being a victim. He's being charge for his recklessness: a higher level of culpability than negligence, but less than intent.

Yes and if his wallet was stolen, he is just as responsible.
Same if it was his TV .
The thief might sell the stolen goods, buy drugs, then steal a GUN and shoot someone.

We should be able to arrest & punish people for what they *MIGHT* think.

This idea of thinking the person that did the deed is responsible is soooooo 1950's.

[Parkanzky]

Yes and if his wallet was stolen, he is just as responsible.
Same if it was his TV .
The thief might sell the stolen goods, buy drugs, then steal a GUN and shoot someone.

We should be able to arrest & punish people for what they *MIGHT* think.

This idea of thinking the person that did the deed is responsible is soooooo 1950's.

It’s not a wallet or a TV. It’s a firearm, which is a weapon. Not acknowledging that that deserves more respect is a great argument for people not being able to handle the responsibility of owning something like that.

[Leader]

It’s not a wallet or a TV. It’s a firearm, which is a weapon. Not acknowledging that that deserves more respect is a great argument for people not being able to handle the responsibility of owning something like that.

How about people that leave cars on the street or in parking lots?
Cars KILL.

We NEED to be able to put people in prison that own things.

[Mathias]

>> How about people that leave cars on the street or in parking lots?

Great analogy. Car in the driveway, key in the ignition, door unlocked.
Car gets stolen. Repeat.

>> Cars KILL.

Suppose teens go joyriding and someone gets hurt.
The owner of the car was negligent and may get charged.

Wouldn't strike me as outrageous.
It's a complicated world out there.
Grownups deal with it.

[Scoop]

Yes and if his wallet was stolen, he is just as responsible.
Same if it was his TV .
The thief might sell the stolen goods, buy drugs, then steal a GUN and shoot someone.

We should be able to arrest & punish people for what they *MIGHT* think.

This idea of thinking the person that did the deed is responsible is soooooo 1950's.I didn't say arrest & punish for what you *might* think. No idea where that came from.

I said said I support holding people accountable for, among other similar things, reckless behavior and gross negligence as long as it's codified ... which this is.

If you don't like the current laws on the books, I suggest that you contact your lawmakers.

[Scoop]

We NEED to be able to put people in prison who commit reckless or gross negligent acts.FIFY

[kryl]

>> How about people that leave cars on the street or in parking lots?

Great analogy. Car in the driveway, key in the ignition, door unlocked.
Car gets stolen. Repeat.

>> Cars KILL.

Suppose teens go joyriding and someone gets hurt.
The owner of the car was negligent and may get charged.

Wouldn't strike me as outrageous.
It's a complicated world out there.
Grownups deal with it.

Owner is not negligent. Kids should not be on the loose if they are irresponsible enough to steal a car. It's not my fault that someone didn't raise their kids right.





If you don't like the current laws on the books, I suggest that you contact your lawmakers.

Lawmakers are generally incompetent when it comes to writing laws. An awful lot of them are mainly concerned with saying what they think will get them re-elected.