Stolen Gun Statistics 2026 (Recover Rates & Crime Usage)

[Ammodotcom]

Report Highlights: Stolen guns often end up in the hands of felons and criminals. Many are never recovered.

• Fewer than 1% of civilian-owned firearms (approximately 200,000 to 380,000) are stolen in the U.S. each year.
• An estimated 40% of firearms stolen in 2022 were taken from vehicles.
• Of the nearly 230,000 firearms trafficked between 2017 and 2021, 60% were delivered to a convicted felon.

Related Studies: Concealed Carry Crime Stats, Gun Violence Statistics, Easiest States to Buy a Gun

For a comprehensive list of our sources, please refer here.

Methodology

This report draws on data from a variety of sources to examine stolen firearms and their relationship to crime in the U.S.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) traces firearms in the U.S., including stolen guns. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) provides self-reported data on how criminals obtain firearms. The National Crime Victimization Survey provides survey-based estimates on gun theft victimizations.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) tracks reported crimes (including gun thefts), which are used to examine relationships between the theft and criminal activity. Some local sources were used to examine risk factors for stolen guns.

Reporting and definition issues create limitations in examining the relationship between crime and stolen guns. Civilians in most states are not required to report gun thefts, and law enforcement agencies do not always report stolen gun recoveries.

How Many Guns Are Stolen in the U.S.?

Approximately 200,000 to 380,000 firearms are stolen annually in the U.S. Higher estimates account for unreported firearm thefts, while lower estimates include only reported losses. 1, 2, 3

According to the ATF, 1,062,970 firearms were stolen between 2019 and 2023. Of those, 95.3% (1,013,964) of firearms reported stolen were taken from civilian gun owners, 3.2% (28,971) were stolen from federal firearm licensees, and 1.2% (20,035) were stolen while in transit. 1, 10

According to the ATF, a total of 1,074,022 firearms were reported stolen in the U.S. between 2017 and 2021. A 2017 survey on total guns in the U.S. suggested there were 393,347,000 firearms in civilians’ possession in the U.S., which implies that 0.27% of all firearms were reported stolen that year. 1, 4

The ATF’s estimate of 266,000 firearms stolen annually accounts for underreporting. To reach this figure, the ATF multiplied thefts reported to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center by 1.25. In doing so, the bureau estimates that roughly 66,500 firearms are stolen from private citizens each year, but go unreported to law enforcement. 1, 2

A survey-based 2017 study suggested that between 250,000 and 380,000 guns are stolen in the U.S. each year. Of the 1,604 respondents in the survey, 2.4% stated one or more firearms had been stolen from them in the past year. 5

A survey-based 2024 study covering five years suggested that 1.4% of gun owners had at least one firearm stolen. Three-fifths of respondents stated that their firearms were stolen from their homes. Only 28% reported having recovered their stolen firearms. 6

Stolen Guns Used in Crimes

The relationship between stolen guns and crime is difficult to quantify. Not all stolen firearms are reported to law enforcement, and not all law enforcement agencies track stolen guns used in crimes.

The ATF estimates that 266,000 guns are stolen each year, while the FBI recorded 1,221,345 violent crimes in 2024. Theoretically, that represents enough firearms to arm one out of every five violent offenders. However, research suggests that criminals rarely steal guns to commit crimes. 1, 9

A survey published by the BJS in 2016 stated that 6% (17,244) of prison inmates who used guns during the commission of their crimes had stolen them. In all, 43.2% of criminals who used a firearm in the commission of a crime purchased it from an underground dealer. 7

A 2018 report analyzed the relationship between guns and crime in Chicago. The findings indicated that while less than 1% of firearms are stolen annually, only 3% of crime guns recovered were reported stolen. Additionally, there is only a 20% chance that a stolen gun will be recovered. 8

Cars and Stolen Guns

According to the Council on Criminal Justice, approximately 40% (30,906) of 77,089 guns reported stolen were taken from vehicles between 2018 and 2022.

Reported gun theft incidents involving cars increased from 28 per 100,000 in 2018 to 37 per 100,000 in 2022. Over the same years, reported gun thefts during residential and commercial burglaries declined from 21 per 100,000 to 13 per 100,000 people. 11

Reported gun thefts from vehicles increased at greater rates in urban areas than rural ones. Most guns (12,193) were stolen from vehicles parked at private residences in 2022. Parking lots and parking garages had the second highest total of guns stolen (9,423) from vehicles, while restaurants and bars had the lowest (1,305). 11

Some jurisdictions issued reports in 2025 suggesting similar increases in the number of firearms stolen from vehicles. Davidson County, Tennessee’s sheriff’s department reported that 843 guns were stolen from vehicles between January and August of 2025. The same report states that 74% of reported stolen guns in the county were taken from vehicles, totalling approximately 1,139. 12

The Wichita Police Department in Kansas issued a report stating that 118 guns were stolen from vehicles between January and June of 2025. This report shows an increase in gun thefts from vehicles over previous years. In a 2023 report, the same department stated that 49% of the 612 guns reported stolen between January and September were taken from vehicles. 13

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[Devereaux]

I am having a difficult time following the data about how many guns were actually stolen and how many from vehicles. The Wighita Police status just don’t seem to make sense, but then it could just be me.

Stats ate used to show trends and overall movements. RAW data, however, are important. My recent example of measles infectious is a čaše in point, where statistics were used to generale a sense of alarm when, in fact, there was little to be alarmed over - unless you were talking about an illegal “immigrant” child who would be unvaxed but susceptable because of the milieu they came from.

I would guess that the report was trying to say gun thefts were small in number and that most came from theft from automobiles. OK. That would imply we need to be more conscious about leaving a firearms in a vehicle. Personally I NEVER leave my firearm in my vehicle. If a plače has a “no gun” sign, I usually disregard it and just enter, since my weapon is concealed. If some one was to approach me and ask me to leave, I would. i would NOT then plače my weapon in my vehicle and return. Rather, I would scrub that place off my list of places I frequent (ie. I’d “boycott” it) and never return.

The hospital I go to has a “no gun” policy; I understand that. I worked in an ED for 43 years and we disarmed every patient - cop or not. When they were done, we gave them their firearm back. The hospital searchs everyone with a metal detektor and makes you give up any metal, including my Benchmage pocket knife. BUT they secure it, give me a recept, and I can claim it again when I leave. That actually worked when I was admitted with sepsis and had my Benchmade with me. Week and a half later I was dis charge and reč overed my knife. I asked if they would do the same with a firearm and they said yes. I am OK with that in that they DO have armed security and they have a system of holding your “weapons’ appropriately until you are ready to go home.

[musashiaharon]

It annoys me when I have to leave my gun behind. If I leave it in the car, I try to have a lockbox for it and hide the lockbox, so that it’s at least not in the center console or the glove.

I’ve been in places with no-guns signs because they didn’t have effective screening. I was only caught once by a sharp-eyed guard (probably because my kids had messed up my clothes so that I printed - still, good job to him!). I ended up not getting in too much trouble for it.

The less I have to arm and disarm throughout the day the safer. It reduces the chances of me forgetting my gun somewhere. It would always be under my control and supervision. And it would always be ready for lawful use.

Less handling also means less “alarm fatigue.” We’re supposed to be hyper-aware whenever we handle guns, about where we point it, keeping a firm grip on it, keep the safety on, be ready to let it fall to the floor if it slips and not try to catch it, keep the trigger finger high above the guard, and so on. But human nature is what it is - the more we have to disarm and re-arm, the more it becomes a routine and annoyance - our attention level decreases. If we only ever handle it for good reason when we aren’t on the way to do something else, that’s the best case scenario, since our attention will be fully on proper handling.

[Devereaux]

It’s more than an annoyance. It’s to some degree asking for it to be stolen. Taking your weapon off in your auto is almost like doing it out in the street - you are easily visible, so an easy target for theft. I have nice guns; I am not at all happy with the notion of them being stolen. I would actually not be happy with the notion of any gun being stolen but especially some of my carry guns. eg. I often carry an Sig P220 SAS in .45 ACP.