A pistol stolen out of a vehicle in Bowie back in 2018 has been recovered and returned to its owner thanks to having a serial number on the gun.
This past week Bowie Police Lt. Randy Hanson, retrieved the Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm pistol from a Dallas pawn shop. The serial number, which was entered into the police system as stolen, received a hit resulting in the gun was being found last week.
The detective explained that usually without a serial number any stolen items like this area gone and never seen again. The investigators have several programs available such as Leads on Line where they receive notifications if a stolen number matching their item is found or sold.
The owner, Cory Brady, was very surprised said Hanson, when he called and said the pistol had been found.
Further discussing stolen items, Hanson urged citizens not to leave firearms in their vehicles.
He also encourages residents to documents all their firearms by taking photos and recording serial numbers.
The same rule would apply to other items that may be prime for thieves.
“Photos and numbers are key to tracking down these types of things when they are stolen. It also can help with your insurance coverage in the event of a burglary,” said Hanson.