This is an example of why I say not to put a lot of money in your everyday carry pistol.
That way when it's "confiscated" (stolen) for "evidence", the bite won't be quite as much.
Sure, the government can make a list of "legitimate" sounding excuses, but in the end, it's nothing more than de facto theft.
Say for example I possessed something that belonged to somebody else for a legitimate reason.
Then my reason isn't valid anymore.
From that moment, I have an obligation to return it to it's rightful owner.
If I refuse by claiming I'm "too busy", "have to many other things to do", "gee, I forgot", or any other excuse, it would become theft I did it, and is theft when the government does it.
Maybe it goes down to some people have standards and care, and some could give a **** less about their fellow man or doing the right thing... See the below for a first hand account of this happening posted upthread.
There is another INGOer who had his stolen firearm recovered by IMPD and he has been fighting with them for nearly a year to get it back. I have even gone down there to try and get some professional courtesy and they basically told me to pound sand. I really wish some folks would get together and sue the city over this matter because it is utterly ridiculous.
I have driven across the county to return a gun to a crash victims Home on more than one occasion just to avoid our property room boondoggle.
2 instances, both trying to do the right thing, the one that didn't work out was because someone else that doesn't care stood in the way.