Fewer ‘ghost guns’ linked to crime in California, but problem persists – The Mercury News

California law enforcement officials are concerned about the proliferation of illegally assembled “ghost guns,” but they also say aggressive enforcement seems to be putting a dent in the number of the untraceable firearms on the streets.

The total linked to crimes statewide has decreased in the past two years, after soaring for the previous dozen years, according to a state Department of Justice report.

Ghost guns, known in law enforcement as unserialized firearms, trouble officials for several reasons. Because they lack serial numbers as required by state and federal law, investigators are unable to run them through a database to determine whether they were used in previous crimes and connect them to suspects. And they are appealing to people who cannot legally purchase a serialized gun and want to use them to commit crimes.

These guns start as just one part: an unfinished lower receiver, which houses the gun’s firing mechanisms. Because they’re incomplete, unfinished lower receivers don’t need to be registered. The rest of the gun can then be assembled from parts bought online.

“The rise of ghost guns is a significant threat to the safety and security of our communities,” San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said.

Ghost guns, which lack the legally required serial number, and other illegal firearms seized by the San Bernardino Police Department during raids are displayed. Police say ghost guns are difficult to trace back to their original owners or determine whether they were used in past crimes. (Courtesy of San Bernardino Police Department) 

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