(Tampa radio personality) Bubba the Love Sponge has guns stolen out of car

[davepc]

Police recovered the items after witnesses reported a description of the burglars and undercover officers arrested two men.

Clem's 2005 Chevrolet Suburban was among three vehicles reported burglarized at the Sunrise Lanes on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N at 11:07 Wednesday night, according to St. Petersburg Police. The radio personality reported a fanny pack was taken from his vehicle containing credit cards, a bank card, two handguns and an honorary sheriff's badge from Indiana; Clem has a concealed weapons permit.

Clem's boss at WHPT-FM (The Bone 102.5), the Tampa station which airs his top-rated morning radio show, said the host decided to sleep in today after staying up late Wednesday night handling details related to the burglary. His program airs at 6 a.m. weekdays.

...

http://www.tampabay.com/features/media/article1011329.ece?token=1648711584

[tridim]

1. I hope his concealed carry permit is revoked

What a dumbass.

[Hoopla Phil]

3. Just like cops get fired for similar incidents right?

[davepc]

4. Police are trained professionals, people dont steal guns out of their cars.

Orlando police chief Chief Val Demings gun was stolen from a city-issued SUV parked outside her home.

Demings is taking full responsibility for the theft. She says she never leaves the gun in her car, but did the night it was taken because her family was expecting guests with children.

Demings says the 9mm Sig Sauer was hidden from plain view, but she shouldn't have left it anyway.

The theft occurred in February but wasn't reported in the media until a tipster called the Orlando Sentinel this week.

...

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/032409_Top_cops_gun_stolen

[AtheistCrusader]

18. Gil Kerlikowski is still looking for his service Glock 26.

Stolen out of his car.

[paulsby]

21. and kerlikowski was within the law

personally, i think he's a moron, but not for the gun thing.

in WA state it is legal to store a firearm in a car, as long as it is not visible from the outside.

i have been a cop for 20+ yrs. nobody's permit gets revoked (in WA state) for leaving firearms in the car, since it is entirely legal

[AtheistCrusader]

25. I know. Just pointing out

that there isn't some crazy super secret ninja training for police officers that makes them more or less justified to leave a firearm in a car, where it may, potentially, be stolen.

An ordinary citizen might do it, a police officer might do it, they do so for the same reasons, and pay the same penalties when something bad happens.

[paulsby]

27. and the penalty is

their gun is gone.

no other penalties. just making that clear.

i got a lot of pleasure (schadenfreude) from the kerlikowske thang because he is a cop-o-crat, an idiot, and an anti-civil rights (when it comes to gun rights) person.

but i find no fault with his actions.

[Euromutt]

24. And from the OP article...

Also among the recovered items: a police-issue Glock .40-caliber handgun reported stolen Saturday by St. Petersburg police Maj. Donnie Williams from his personal vehicle.

This is why I have a PacSafe "travelsafe" in my car: http://www.pac-safe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&_action=detail&id=18

[tridim]

6. What is your criteria for revoking a permit?

Or do you think permits should never be revoked for any reason?

This guy an irresponsible gun owner at the very least.

[Hoopla Phil]

7. It is outlined in the Texas State Code. Do you think the cop should be fired?

[tridim]

8. No. And I'm not familiar with Texas State Code.

Does it say concealed carry permits are permanent?

[Hoopla Phil]

9. Nice double standard there. So why is it ok for a cop to have his

gun stolen when left in his/her car but not a CHL holder?

No, TX CHLs are issued for a 5 year period.

[tridim]

10. Because he's a cop?

And the dumbass in question is not a responsible gun owner. :eyes:

If what you said is true Texas gun laws are completely fucked up. Not really a surprise.

[X_Digger]

11. Cops get a pass, gotcha.

http://law.onecle.com/texas/government/411.186.00.html

Getting your car broken into does not qualify for revocation.

[TPaine7]

12. The people's servants outrank their masters?!

The servant of the people--the police chief--should get a pass. The people should not.

Your thinking is pre-Enlightenment and anti-American. But that isn't a surprise either.

If the stolen cops gun is used to kill someone, that person will obviously be less dead than if one of the people the cop serves has a gun stolen and used. Right.

[bossy22]

16. why does it matter?

both incidents were the result of irresponsible gun ownership....so wouldnt it make sense to atleast suspend the cop from active duty

but we are still missing the point- is his offense really one that should cause his license to be revoked. Do we revoke drivers licenses after a car crash?...no...neither should this guy lose his license as well. He fucked up, there is no argument there.

[paulsby]

22. it is not irresponsible. and no civilian gets punished for it in WA state

it is LEGAL and acceptable (at least in WA state) to leave a firearm in a car, as long as it is hidden from view.

you may not like it, but it's protected activity.

in my 20+ years, i have never heard of anybody (civilian or cop) getting in trouble for leaving a firearm in the car.

as long it was hidden from sight.

i sometimes leave my firearm in the car (concealed). sometimes when i go downtown, i will leave it in the car before i go in a bar for instance. i can legally carry in a bar fwiw (LEO's can), but i often choose not to.

[Tim01]

19. You think cops should be able to get away with more than an average person?

Because cops are part of the government, so they are above laws?

[Hoopla Phil]

32. As I tell my very young children. "because" is an excuse, not a reason.

and as you say "not really a surprise". LMFAO. HaHaHa. And why do you question what I say regarding the time a CHL in Texas is true, and why are "Texas gun laws are completely fucked up"?

[spin]

13. You might notice that no mention was made of revolking...

Bubba the Love Sponge's concealed carry permit. This might be due to the fact that he committed no crime.

You can have a firearm in your car in Florida. The concealed carry permit allows you to carry in public. Two entirely different things. However, a concealed carry permit IS required if you leave a firearm in your locked car while you are at work and your car is parked on your employer's property.

Clem was bowling with friends at the Sunrise Lanes bowling alley, 6393 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N., when his car was broken into at about 11 p.m. Someone punched the lock to get inside.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jun/18/shock-jocks-2-guns-stolen-car/

Bowling with a concealed weapon is possible but in my opinion difficult. When I worked the third shift, the guys and girls I worked with would often go bowling in the morning after work. One guy carried a Star Firestar 9mm and was still one hell of a good bowler. However the law prevented him from entering the portion of the bowling alley that served liquor.



Bubba is a BIG boy but a fanny pack that will hold two handguns would be very awkward to wear while bowling. He may have also wanted to sit for a few minutes in the bar. Leaving the firearms in the car was not in anyway illegal or unwise.

[Euromutt]

28. I'd say that maybe it IS unwise...

...but in states where business establishments can prohibit firearms with the force of law behind it, you sometimes have no choice but to leave your weapon locked in your car. Which is why I keep a PacSafe lockable bag (http://www.pac-safe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&_action=detail&id=18) in my car, just to provide an extra level of security if I have to leave my firearm, plus I clear it and taken the magazines and ammunition with me, and apply the internal lock.

However, fortunately for me, Washington state doesn't make it illegal to carry in locations that have private regulations against firearms on the premises. I.e. if the local mall says "no guns," the most they can do is ask you to leave, and have you charged with trespassing if you refuse. As a result, I prefer to ignore such strictures than to leave my firearm in my car and risk having it stolen.

[spin]

29. That does look like a good method of securing firearms...

There are even better methods available such as:



The Console Vault is designed to fit most trucks and SUV's, the auto vault is designed to fit in your center console and uses the existing factory bolts for installation. The console vault installs in minutes and provides maximum security for valuables, an auto vault can provide secure storage space for your valuables.
https://www.consolevault.com/products/

[Euromutt]

30. That Console Vault does look nifty, but...

... it doesn't fit either of the cars my wife and I drive (a 2003 Honda Element EX, and a 2000 Honda Civic DX coupe, both manual). And I'm not willing to switch up to a massive gas-guzzler just so I can get one of those fitted.

[paulsby]

20. for what?

in my jurisdiction, it is perfectly legal to store a firearm in one's car as long as it is not visible from the outside.

[AtheistCrusader]

2. What kind of fat-assed fanny pack can hold two pistols and all that other crap?

[spin]

14. Here's a cheap one...

Manufacturer: Cheaper Than Dirt PACK114
Item: PACK-114

Black, aged-leather fanny pack is one of our best values! Five zippered compartments hold all of your important gear, including a pistol. Extras include a cell phone holder and a hide-away bottle carrier. A small pistol can be carried in the back compartment and a full size pitol can be carried in the main compartment. Nylon belt features a quick detach buckle and ajustable from 20" to a 50" waist, made of top grain leather, imported.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/PACK114-33.html

[X_Digger]

15. Ahhh, CTD..

.. they're local for me, though their retail presence is separate from the catalog / website sales. I could spend way too much money there (especially considering their markup).

[brendan120678]

5. He is a filthy, foul, vile slob of a man...

That said, I'm not going to blame him much for having his guns stolen. True, he probably shouldn't have left them in his car (locked or not). Still, it doesn't sound like he was breaking any laws himself.

[spin]

17. How newspaper stories can be misleadng...

While researching this story I ran across an article originally from the Tampa Tribune which said:

ST. PETERSBURG - Car thieves broke into the car of shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem Wednesday night and stole two guns he had in a fanny pack – a Kel-Tec .32 caliber handgun and an FNH 5.7 handgun, St. Petersburg police said.

Clem has concealed weapons permits for both, said St. Petersburg police spokesman George Kajtsa.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jun/18/shock-jocks-2-guns-stolen-car/ Note: my underlining

Either the St. Petersburg police spokesman had his head up his ass or the reporter did. In Florida, a concealed weapons permit doesn't apply to the firearm you carry. In fact it allows you to carry your choice of any firearm you choose (and can conceal) as well as a variety of other weapons such as knives (including switchblades), stun guns and billy clubs.

Sorry for the rant. Some sharp editor should have caught this, especially since this is a Florida newspaper.

[iverglas]

23. oh, no, Paco!

I was SURE this NEVER happened.

I remember Florida. It's that place where employers may not ban firearms from employees' vehicles in their parking lots.

Because, obviously, this NEVER happens.

[AtheistCrusader]

26. What do the two have to do with each other?

Employers generally objected to the new ruling because they didn't want firearms present on their property at all, not because they might be stolen.

[Euromutt]

31. And, of course...

... one obvious solution to the risk of firearms being stolen from cars in the parking lot is to not force people to leave them in the car in the first place. (And before anyone says "workplace shooting," when has a company policy against guns on the premises ever stopped a workplace shooting? Or even a law, given the origin of the term "going postal.")

[iverglas]

33. Force people! Eeek!

All those people being forced to take their gunz to work in the morning.

Have you no Freedom down there???

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

34. How about three links to where anyone claimed that firearms are NEVER stolen from vehicles?