The Authorities Took My Salvage –AGAIN

[Rick Inman]

The first time it was the Air Force Bomb Squad (http://www.scubaboard.com/t35209-.html), the next time it was the FBI (http://www.scubaboard.com/t41290-.html). Today it was the Idaho Kooteani County Sheriffs Department.

Tony & I were diving Higgen’s Point this morning. Water temp was 48f. The shore line slopes down quickly and soon we were at 93 feet. There was nothing down there but silt, and the vis dropped to about 2 feet, so we headed back up to 70’ where the water cleared to about 12’ vis and there were rocks and stuff. We slowly cruised up to about 30’ where there were nice big schools of spawning Kokanee Salmon. While we were watching the activity, I signaled an OOA and we did the drill.
After about 30mins we started back toward the launch, moving slowly up to 15’. That’s when I saw the bag. I don’t know what the attraction is, but for some reason people like to fill the bottom of plastic grocery bags with rocks and toss ‘em in the lake. I always check them, but never find anything. This one was at about 20’, so I swam down and opened it. Inside the bag was a white hand towel, and wrapped inside the towel was a Beretta .38 SS handgun. Nice!
I showed Tony and he gave me the Ok sign.
Once on the surface, I called Gary D. (him being a local Sheriff and all) and asked him what to do with it. I told him where I found it.
“Dumb ”, he said. “If he’d tossed it another 10 feet out it would be lost in the silt forever.”
I asked Gary if I should take to the Sheriff's station, He said, “No. Just dial 911 and they’ll come and get it from you.”
I dialed 911 and they told me to bring it to the Sheriff’s station. There was some kind of class going on, so when I got there one of the Sheriffs came out. He took the gun and my info.
“I’m a Friend of Gary D.” I told him. He eyeballed me suspiciously, knowing that the only friend of a cop is another cop. I thought he might tell me what a nice guy Gary is, or what a fine officer he is.
“Guys’ quite a character,” he said. “He sure likes to dive.”
I agreed on both counts. I won’t mention the officer’s name (Sean).

Anyway, that’s my gun story. Last week I found a 44” Scubapro spear gun in the same lake, so I’m 2 for 3 dives finding weapons here.

Who else has found firearms while diving?

 

[ZenDiver]

I found a hand gun in Hawaii off of the beach....I ended up giving it to the police. It was just put in there too becuase there wasn't any rust.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Anyway, that’s my gun story. Last week I found a 44” Scubapro spear gun in the same lake, so I’m 2 for 3 dives finding weapons here.

I see a disturbing trend line here. Soon we are going to here 'bout a guy in Idaho raising a lost nuke with his lift bag. :11:

Do you have any trouble finding buddies? Is there a special Ordinace Disposal cert required to dive with you?

Have nice quite day,



Tobin

 

[pt40fathoms]

Did they at least give you a receipt for the "recovered item". If it was in good shape, and no owner could be found, and it was not involved in a crime, I would think that you should be able to keep it.

They probably wont give it back to you anyways, even if it was just tossed out by some angry spouse and they don't want it back. But it dosn't hurt to ask now does it.

 

[detroit diver]

Rick,

A buddy of mine called in the summer. He was buying a house and the seller was having a garage sale. After the sale was over and everyone had left, he found a small cardboard can on the front porch. It was green in color and had metal end caps. A little bigger in diameter than an orange juice can. Military style markings on the cardboard, and perforations around the circumference. It was quite heavy.

He put it in his car and drove to the local police station. One look from the desk officer and they were both outside with this object in half a minute! Local bomb squad was called, and the ATF showed up at his new property with search dogs. They didn't find anything else, but told him it screwed onto the nose of a bomb and was the detonator! He got a call the next day-apparently they exploded it in one of their "safe" fields, and it made one heck of a large bang!

 

[Rick Inman]

Did they at least give you a receipt for the "recovered item". If it was in good shape, and no owner could be found, and it was not involved in a crime, I would think that you should be able to keep it.

They probably wont give it back to you anyways, even if it was just tossed out by some angry spouse and they don't want it back. But it dosn't hurt to ask now does it.

No thanks. I'm afraid I might shoot somebody with it!

Rick,
A buddy of mine called in the summer. He was buying a house and the seller was having a garage sale. After the sale was over and everyone had left, he found a small cardboard can on the front porch. It was green in color and had metal end caps. A little bigger in diameter than an orange juice can. Military style markings on the cardboard, and perforations around the circumference. It was quite heavy.

He put it in his car and drove to the local police station. One look from the desk officer and they were both outside with this object in half a minute! Local bomb squad was called, and the ATF showed up at his new property with search dogs. They didn't find anything else, but told him it screwed onto the nose of a bomb and was the detonator! He got a call the next day-apparently they exploded it in one of their "safe" fields, and it made one heck of a large bang!

I'll keep my eye out for one of these.

 

[DandyDon]

Bomb found in Detroit? Does that even make the news anymore? :lol2:

 

[FinaddictFred]

Finders keepers and so on and so forth. Unless the cops were looking for that particular weaponfrom being involved in a crime. It was obviously not lost. Hope you get it back..but lets not hold our breath.

 

[detroit diver]

Bomb found in Detroit? Does that even make the news anymore? :lol2:

Hey, we're trying to lose that image!

 

[Boogie711]

Jack, I've seen where you work. I think bombs may be a neighbourhood improvement option worth considering...