TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Oct 21, 2024

Memphis faces a surge of gun thefts from cars, with more than 2,100 stolen in 2023, an increase of 641% during the past decade, the Daily Memphian reports. By contrast, in 2011, 287 guns were stolen from cars in Memphis. The increase follows passage of Tennessee's 2014 "guns in cars" law, which allows gun owners to store firearms in their cars if the weapons are properly secured. The law does not impose penalties for non-compliance and does not require owners to report thefts. In addition to the guns in cars law, Tennessee allows gun owners to carry openly in public without a permit. Gun safety advocates tell the paper that repealing permitless carry would have an “overnight” effect on gun thefts from cars. State Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, an original sponsor of the guns in cars law, says gun owners need to properly secure their guns.