A large number of gun crimes are committed using guns stolen from unlocked cars. A Louisiana lawmaker now wants to hold those car owners liable.

• A Louisiana lawmaker proposed making car owners responsible for crimes committed with guns stolen from their unlocked cars.
• An ATF report found that 96% of stolen guns were taken from the cars and homes of average citizens.

Stolen guns are a major source of gun crime in the United States. And the US government says that about 96% of those stolen firearms— reported between 2017 and 2021 — were stolen from the cars and homes of everyday people.

To address the problem, a Louisiana lawmaker proposed a bill last week that would hold gun owners liable if a thief steals a firearm from their unlocked cars.

"Many of the guns that are being used in these felonies are being obtained from stolen cars. So we need to have a conversation. We need to promote policies that promote responsible gun ownership," Louisiana State Sen. Gary Carter Jr., a Democrat, told KSLA, a local television outlet.

According to a recent report from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), more than one million guns were stolen from private citizens between 2017 and 2021. The study also noted, however, that many gun thefts go unreported, meaning the number of stolen guns circulating in the United States is likely much higher. Federal law does not require owners to report stolen guns, and local laws vary, according to the ATF report.

The report, the first of its kind in 20 years, emphasized that reducing gun theft would significantly limit the number of guns used in crimes. Another report from the National Institute of Justice found that between 1996 and 2019, 80% of mass shootings at K-12 schools were carried out using guns stolen from family members.

"I think everyone agrees we have too much gun violence," Carter told WAFB, a CBS affiliate in Baton Rouge. "Oftentimes, the guns end up in the wrong hands. So, what do we do to make sure, hey, if you're practicing responsible gun ownership, don't leave your gun in an unlocked car. Don't leave it unsecured in your car."