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Tyler Burchard, of Stamford, reported that his 9mm Smith & Wesson semiautomatic pistol was stolen last week out of the unlocked center console of his car, which parked in the driveway of his home, said Stamford Police Capt. Richard Conklin said.
Burchard was also charged with the unsafe storage of a firearm in a vehicle, Conklin said.
He was released after posting a $5,000 bond.
Conklin said the department has seen "an explosion" of people who have applied for a concealed weapon and gun permits.
But, Conklin added, those same people need to be educated about the responsibility that comes with gun ownership.
"Gun owners need to help keep them out of the wrong hands and properly store the weapons," he said.
If Buchard had locked the doors of his vehicle and the gun was still stolen, he would have been charged with improperly storing his weapon due to a law that requires weapons to be in a container.
Burchard’s pistol permit was seized and sent to the state police for revocation, Conklin said.
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