Guns still being stolen from cars in Tacoma

The Tacoma Police are asking gun owners to help reduce the number of firearms being stolen from vehicles by practicing responsible gun ownership.

This year, a gun has been stolen out of a vehicle in Tacoma every 57 hours, adding up to 51 guns stolen this year alone.

“We are thankful for the help of our community in reducing the numbers of guns stolen in vehicle prowls, but we still have a lot of work to do,” said Tacoma Police Chief Avery Moore.

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According to the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, 68% of all homicides in Washington involve firearms.

Homicides, including police shootings, account for 24 % of all gun deaths in the state and disproportionately impact Black communities. Blacks are six times more likely to die by gun homicide than white people.

In Tacoma, the 2022 Youth & Adult Violence Assessment found that Tacoma residents between the ages of 15-17 die by assault at a rate of 6.9 for every 100,000 people, a higher number than the city or county’s overall rate. The report also stated that firearms are the leading cause of youth hospitalizations in Tacoma.

“Too often, stolen guns are ending up in the hands of our youth,” Moore said. “No gun owner wants their weapon being used against children or other community members.”

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Though guns continue to be stolen from vehicles, this is an improvement from last year’s numbers. At this time last year, there had been 71 guns stolen from vehicles in Tacoma.

Gun owners can help prevent these thefts by taking the following precautions:

• Do not leave firearms in your vehicle
• Keep firearms secured and follow safe handling procedures
• Keep firearms out of the hands of juveniles

The Tacoma Police Department said its Gun Giveback event last Sunday was a success. One hundred twenty-eight guns were turned in and will be destroyed.