WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and their colleagues today reintroduced the Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Protection Act of 2021 to address the rapid increase in the number of “smash-and-grab” thefts targeted at federally licensed gun dealers.

“I am a staunch defender of Second Amendment rights, but I will not tolerate criminals who steal firearms,” Senator Capito said. “With burglaries and robberies of gun dealerships and manufacturers on the rise, I’m proud to help reintroduce this legislation to deter would-be criminals and keep our communities safe.”  

“I am proud to reintroduce this important legislation to make ‘smash-and-grabs’ more costly for criminals,” Senator Graham said. “I believe in responsible gun ownership – not criminals stealing firearms.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has reported a 43% increase in the number of FFL burglaries and a 15% decrease in the number of FFL robberies from 2019 to 2020.

While the number of robberies decreased, the number of firearms taken during robberies increased by 53%. In 2020, 6,269 firearms were taken in nationwide FFL burglaries and robberies.

The FFL Protection Act of 2021 would:

  • Increase the statutory maximum penalty for knowingly stealing any firearm in an FFL’s business inventory from 10 to 20 years.
  • Impose a mandatory minimum sentence of 3 years for burglary from an FFL and 5 years for robbery from an FFL.
  • Criminalize the attempted theft of a firearm from a licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector.

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