Found A Loaded Pistol In My Yard Today...It Wasn't Mine

This morning I thought it was odd watching Biggie Smalls' long lost twin brother lumbering up and down my street while peering into yards and over fences. Me being the helpful chap I am let the dog loose first, then I called out to him to see if he needed help. Since my yard is fenced, I told him to hang out and I'll look around for anything odd. He mumbled something about his phone and his girl being mad, and that she said he threw it out of her car somewhere around here. I told him that with how many people walk down our street (it is a jogging path), plus the area we are in (mixed sketchy), anything worth pawning lying near the street is probably long gone. After looking around for about 8 minutes I told him I didn't see anything but dog toys and kids toys, and wished him luck on his search. Mr. Smalls then lumbered off and got into a nearby car.

Once he cleared the area I decided to properly look around. It took me all of 30 seconds to find what he was really looking for...a loaded pistol. Lovely. The local PD came and picked up the gun and took my statement. Funny, the cop actually knew who I was describing. Cops leave, gun gone, quick chat with my kids about what to do if you see a gun in the yard (sigh), and on with prepping for a family barbecue.

Cue Biggie Smalls lumbering back down the street. Seriously, the dude came BACK to look again. This time my neighbor saw him and called me. I just walked back in the house, called the cops and told them to come pick up this moron. Three patrol cars whizz by a few minutes later and I haven't seen Mr. Smalls since.

Ten years living in a "transitional" area of Atlanta and I'm not really shocked. Sure I hear gunfire sometimes, but we have a good neighborhood watch going and the local PD is pretty good (city PD, not county, big difference in service).

The good news is the gentrification train is heading our way, so once the Whole Foods and Sprouts get built down the street, I expect the area to change a lot. Until then I guess I'll make sure the include "check for firearms" in my daily neighborhood trash pickup walk.

So, you shot someone with a stolen gun, called the cops and fingered some thug who walks by your house all the time? Brilliant!

I'll double check cheap Atlanta fly and drives from now on.

Sigh, I sure wish that the gentrification train would pass through my "transitional" (LOL) neighborhood.

Huckleberry wrote: So, you shot someone with a stolen gun, called the cops and fingered some thug who walks by your house all the time? Brilliant!

Yeah, my buddy admonished me for missing out on a perfectly good drop piece.

Never found any handguns, but I used to find used needles in the alley behind my garage. Thank goodness that stuff has moved out of the neighborhood.

Wow. I once found a knapsack full of beer in my backyard.

Little sister don't miss when she aims her gun.

Vicki Lawrence

Man, all I found working on Goose Island, was a giant flotilla of used rubbers coming down the North Branch of the Chicago River.

Gentrification is nice. It's a shame our current leadership is trying to stop it. At least it's becoming easier to find a piece again if I need it.

As a property owner in Cobb Co., I'm thrilled the Braves are coming my way. Had some friends think about buying a few years ago near Cabbagetown but they chickened out. Good luck with the transformation and your coming Panera Bread's and fair trade coffee shops. Way less exciting but so much safer!

Lots of needles in Seattle. Everywhere. Playgrounds, middle of the street. Front yards. Bathroom toilets in stores/restaurants. Plumbers won't fix clogged toilets in certain areas without lots of protective gear.

Glad I moved to the frozen north. No bums panhandling everywhere either.

I live in an area of Massachusetts where there are actually a few gun totting conservatives, unlike the rest of the state proliferated by ultra gun hating liberals. We hear gun fire often around here. There is a range not far from my house, two actually, and they do hunt around here. Always get a kick when one of the city folk are visiting and they hear a gunshot. One of my buddies was a detective in a large city. He practically dove for cover, when he heard pop pop pop pop as someone unloaded a whole clip from a hand gun.

be careful what you wish for with gentrification. It has downsides too. When it gets "nice " enough the kids with money come down. It's like chum in the water for those with little or nothing to lose. EAV goes through this in cycles. In the 13 years I've been here some of the most dangerous have been further along in the gentrification process.

I found a bag of weed on the bench right outside my office one time. I guess they had glaucoma and did not see they had left it there. Found a little baggie of what I presume was crystal meth once when I was walking the dog. No guns.

Cops generally are going to be familiar with bad actors in the area. It is not like they just started being criminals that day.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Lots of needles in Seattle. Everywhere. Playgrounds, middle of the street. Front yards. Bathroom toilets in stores/restaurants. Plumbers won't fix clogged toilets in certain areas without lots of protective gear. Glad I moved to the frozen north. No bums panhandling everywhere either.

I moved from Georgia to the frozen north as well and Anchorage Alaska has more bums than I remember in Atlanta.

A buddy bought a house super cheap in Scottdale in east Atlanta about 2 years ago and while his jeep has been stolen once, overall I guess he's come out pretty cheap to be living ITP. Myself I like the candler park and lake Claire areas of Atlanta but these little gentrified pockets that still have a fun culture are way too expensive to me.

crankwalk wrote:

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Lots of needles in Seattle. Everywhere. Playgrounds, middle of the street. Front yards. Bathroom toilets in stores/restaurants. Plumbers won't fix clogged toilets in certain areas without lots of protective gear. Glad I moved to the frozen north. No bums panhandling everywhere either.

I moved from Georgia to the frozen north as well and Anchorage Alaska has more bums than I remember in Atlanta.

Anchorage bums, makes me wonder how that could happen.

Lower 48ers that went there for work that couldn't make it out in the field and resorted to Anchorage 'city life'?

What part of the City?

Buddy of mine (ATL) has been buying up cheap but solid unloved homes in East Point and College Park, fixing and renting to airline workers. He says the schools are slowly showing signs of improvement, which is basically a metric for "residents who give a E36 M3".

Around here, most of the "dump offs" are meth labs and unwanted fighting dogs. Not sure if that's better or worse than a gun.

fasted58 wrote:

crankwalk wrote:

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Lots of needles in Seattle. Everywhere. Playgrounds, middle of the street. Front yards. Bathroom toilets in stores/restaurants. Plumbers won't fix clogged toilets in certain areas without lots of protective gear. Glad I moved to the frozen north. No bums panhandling everywhere either.

I moved from Georgia to the frozen north as well and Anchorage Alaska has more bums than I remember in Atlanta.

Anchorage bums, makes me wonder how that could happen. Lower 48ers that went there for work that couldn't make it out in the field and resorted to Anchorage 'city life'?

Thats a lot of it. Unfortunately a ton are natives with alcoholism issues as well.

Do you mind me asking what part of ATL you are in by chance? I love the city and have a good bunch of friends in Cabbagetown, and it's one city on our 'watch list' for potential career-based relocations. I'm trying to get a feel for good value vs The Hot Zone, but it seems there's pockets of both everywhere... haha.

Maybe it was a community gun? Like those yellowbike deals.

Here in the Mn metro area we are certainly not immune from any of the aforementioned things. Average street begging has been ruled legal so unless the guy/gal is trying to attack you, they are legal according to the courts. Even with all the social service agencies around, there still is a considerable amount of begging, even out into the 'burbs.

Lesley wrote: Wow. I once found a knapsack full of beer in my backyard.

This is exactly what I expected from our Canadian brethren. I bet it was also full cans and there is a note saying that if someone finds the bag to enjoy the beer and to kindly return the sack when finished.

JG Pasterjak wrote: Maybe it was a community gun? Like those yellowbike deals.

The hood was way ahead of the hipsters on bike sharing. It's still not uncommon to find a bike resting in the bushes behind the projects waiting.