More guns are being stolen out of vehicles in many U.S. cities, according to a new data analysis, which was first obtained and independently verified by NBC New
Highlights
- Everytown for Gun Safety analyzed FBI crime data from 2011 to 2020.
- At least 180 cities saw a rise in gun thefts from vehicles, the nonprofit says.
- It’s an alarming trend as shootings rise nationwide, propelled in large part by firearms obtained illegally.
- Experts say it’s likely exacerbated by a surge in firearm purchases during the pandemic of gun violence in the U.S.
- In Florida, Caroline Schollaert, 26, died from her injuries after a gun was stolen from an unlocked car, authorities say.
- In Virginia, the number of motor vehicle larcenies in which a firearm was stolen jumped to 142 incidents in 2021, from 88 in 2019.