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Two Tennessee cities lead U.S. for number of gun thefts from cars

Memphis came in at #1, and another Tennessee city - Chattanooga - came in 2nd in the ranking by Everytown for Gun Safety.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Gun thefts from cars are spiking all around the country, but the problem is apparently worse in Memphis than anywhere else.

According to the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, Memphis averages more than 193 car gun thefts per 100,000 people. Chattanooga, Tennessee, is second on the list.

The advocacy group said a decade ago, less than a quarter of gun thefts were from cars.  In 2020, they accounted for more than half. However, they said overall theft from cars is actually down by 15%.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland told ABC24 he is sick of it and had a message for gun owners.

“They are not stealing guns to go hunting. They are stealing guns to commit crimes,” said Strickland. “Please secure your guns. This is - we need your help.”

On average, at least one gun is stolen from a car every 15 minutes in the United States.

And if you think your gun is safe in your driveway, experts said think again. Cars parked outside homes are the most common source of stolen guns.

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