Gun Store Thefts Plummet After Push From NSSF’s Operation Secure Store Program

From the NSSF . . .

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the firearm industry trade association, is applauding progress made by licensed firearm retailers and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to significantly reduce firearm thefts.

Data released by ATF demonstrably shows that firearm industry partner programs to reduce thefts and robberies of firearm retailers are dropping by 61 percent and the numbers of stolen firearms decreasing 74 percent in the first half of 2021 compared to the same time last year. The joint ATF-NSSF Operation Secure Store (OSS) is directly responsible for the tremendous progress made to ensure firearms aren’t stolen from firearm retailers. Operation Secure Store is one program of the firearm industry’s Real Solutions. Safer Communities. campaign.

“This data shows that the firearm industry’s proactive partnerships with the ATF is yielding the results that make our communities safer,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “This is what effective firearm safety looks like. Cooperative partnerships to assist retailers to improve security and deter criminal activity are effective and the figures released by the ATF shows this effort is working. NSSF remains committed to education and awareness among retailers so they can make well-informed security-related decisions to deter and prevent thefts.”

Data released by the ATF reported that in the first six months of this year, 111 burglaries were recorded and 959 firearms were stolen. The same time period in 2020 saw 284 firearm retailers targeted for burglaries with 3,703 firearms stolen. Both NSSF and the ATF credit this improvement to the cooperative partnership between law enforcement, industry and firearm retailers to educational programming, including an ongoing series of regional seminars hosted by ATF.

The OSS program focuses on five areas: “Education and Awareness,” “Assessment and Risk Analysis,” “Planning and Strategy,” “Engagement” and “Response.” This approach addresses many of the most common security concerns FFLs have, with a focus on providing a wide array of solutions that mitigate risk and protect these businesses.

The ATF has a 100 percent response rate to burglaries and robberies of firearm retailers and uses the combined expertise of its special agents and industry operations investigators to apprehend those responsible and recover the stolen firearms. NSSF matches reward offers for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the crimes.

The firearm industry is committed to the cooperative partnerships with the ATF and firearm retailers to Real Solutions to make safer communities in America.

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