COLUMBUS, Ohio — The state of Ohio has launched a searchable public database to check gun serial numbers which allows the public to see if a gun has been reported stolen.
According to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office, the “tool aims to protect buyers and traders from purchasing a stolen gun and to facilitate the return of stolen firearms to their rightful owners.”
Anyone who wishes to use the tool can visit the state’s website here and enter in the serial number for a firearm.
If a weapon hasn’t been reported stolen, you get a message stating that the search returned no results. However, if a gun entered into the online tool has been reported stolen, contact information for the reporting agency is provided so that you can reach out to law enforcement.
“With our new portal, when buying a used firearm, private citizens and firearms dealers can instantly check to see whether a gun was previously reported as stolen,” Yost said. “This is a tool for gun buyers and law enforcement alike that will lead to the recovery of stolen firearms and serve as a deterrent for criminals seeking to make a quick buck.”
Firearm data used by the tool is comprised of information from law enforcement agencies across the state that has been entered into the Law Enforcement Automated Data System (LEADS).
The database is updated every 24 hours between 11 and 11:20 p.m.
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