Stolen gun from pickpocket at range

[evan price]

This didn't happen to me but to my friend.
Be was visiting family out of town for Thanksgiving and decided to visit a local gun range and store on black Friday. He visits this range fairly often when he's in town. The place was packed. Standing room only, a wait list to use a shooting lane, packed with customers.
He was holding a large duffel bag over his shoulder containing a number of handguns, mags and safety gear.
While waiting he was looking at stuff in the shelves and engaged in conversation with a couple guys who also appeared to be waiting. They had a fairly long discussion about the types of Glocks and model numbers, looking at guns on display. Live I said it was packed pretty full and people were trying to get through the crowd pretty regularly.
Eventually his name is called and he goes out to the range. When he gets to the line he realizes the zipper on his bag isn't closed. He also discovers a handgun is missing.
In hindsight he realized the two guys talking were the distraction while an accomplice dipped his range bag.
He's now out a fairly expensive and sentimentally valuable firearm.
He contacted the range manager and they are supposed to check video tape but they didn't seem really concerned about the incident.

Just be aware that you're not safe anywhere.

[pirateguy191]

No cameras at the range?

[evan price]

Yes, they said they'd check the cameras, but the specific area of the floor didn't have good coverage.

[BillytheKidder]

Pretty nervy, doing that in a building full of armed folks.

[Brian D.]

Which place was it? Or would you prefer not to disclose that?

Before the current Target World was built down here, the original location was near Tri County Mall, which was busy with shoppers AND thieves most of the time. Russians/Eastern Europeans (cops and local businesses called them "gypsies", which seems accurate enough) were often seen doing their thing with the sort of distraction techniques Evan mentions. Occasionally they'd try their luck at Target World. One shooting pal regular knew enough Russian and other languages to verbally convince the clan to not come back. Always wondered what he said, Mike never would tell us.

[evan price]

Which place was it? Or would you prefer not to disclose that?

Blackstone Shooting Sports, Charlotte North Carolina
Charlotte/Mecklenburg PD has been unhelpful. Friend wanted to absolutely verify gun was not left at home before filing a report. Came home, gun is 100% not there. Called C/M they said they can't take reports over the phone, go back to scene of crime, call 911, request officer to come take report. Explained situation, they won't take the report unless in person.

[M-Quigley]

That's why I never carry a bag with anything important in it over my shoulder and behind me. Maybe on my shoulder and in front of me so no one can get anything out of it without me noticing. Plus, if I have a gun in a range bag the gun is in a container and inside the main compartment of the bag along with and under other stuff, not on an outside compartment.