The LAPD seized 1,000 firearms from a house in Holmby Hills. So what happens to these weapons?: LAist

On Wednesday, more than 1,000 firearms were seized in a home in the posh neighborhood of Holmby Hills in Los Angeles.

Police arrested the owner of a firearm, Girard Saenz, on suspicion of violating California's firearms law regarding the sale and transport of assault weapons and firearms. Browning caliber machine guns. 50.

Saenz's home was raided after the Los Angeles police found out and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives received information about the illegal sale of firearms.

Saenz was released Thursday morning after posting a $ 50,000 bail.

So what happens to firearms?

Retired LAPD detective Timothy T. Williams Jr. said the size of the seizure – and the fact that many weapons were collectibles – make it unique. It will take time to decide the fate of firearms, especially because each firearm will have to be analyzed individually.

"Every weapon is autonomous," said Williams. "There are a lot of things that come into play. You have 1,000 firearms, how many ammunition were there? You have to look at everything."

Williams said during investigations that the confiscated weapons remained in evidence.

And since weapons are frequently bought and sold, confiscated weapons sometimes have links to other crimes, making them the key to investigations.

Williams said, for example, that if crimes committed decades ago were subject to the appeal process, "then you still have the weapons and evidence that they find there".

If the authorities determine that no criminal activity has occurred, California law allows firearms owners to request restitution. A homeowner must make a written request to the California Department of Justice to determine if he is entitled to own a firearm. In this context, gun owners must submit a Application of the Firearms Act (LEGR).

If a firearm seized and authorized to be surrendered is not recovered within 180 days, law enforcement forces may destroy it.

Despite the large size of the gun cache at Holmby Hills, experts said it did not make it illegal.

"No law in the state of California states that gun owners can only possess five, if not ten, weapons." No such federal law exists. " said Adam Winkler, professor of constitutional law at UCLA, gun specialist.

Winkler said there had been an increase over the last 10 years of so-called super owners – "people who sometimes have dozens, if not hundreds, of firearms," ​​Winkler said.

When laws are broken, weapons used to commit crimes are not returned, Williams said.

In these cases, some things can happen:

If a firearms owner illegally owned the firearms or if they were involved in a crime such as an illegal firearms market, Williams stated that the firearms had been illegally owned by the firearms owner. law enforcement could destroy or sell them.

Firearms may be sold to police officers through licensed dealers who may have a police field establishment. The LAPD Academy has a facility in which firearms obtained from crimes are sold.

There are debates across the country on the ethics of the sale of seized weapons. Some critics argue that putting weapons back into circulation can lead to more violence.

In 2014, a gun owner in Washington State committed suicide with a 9mm Smith & Wesson that, according to local police, had been seized years ago and resold to the public.

Williams supports bans on the sale of firearms involved in crimes.

"Firearms take lives," Williams said. "We should remove the weapons from the system and not reinstate them."