Columbus police are asking local residents to make sure their firearms are securely locked away after the department received four reports of unsecured guns stolen last week.
The total number of guns stolen in Columbus so far this year has hit 47, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman. Of those, 36 were handguns and 11 were shotguns or rifles.
The majority of the reported thefts have occurred from guns that were in unlocked vehicles or homes, police said.
All of last year, 82 firearms were reported stolen in Columbus, a 65 percent increase compared to 2016, Harris said.
“We urge all gun owners to be responsible and take common sense safety measures to ensure their firearms are properly secured at all times,” Harris said. “Stolen firearms often end up in the hands of people who cannot legally possess them and are used in the commission of crimes against the public and law enforcement officers.”
