Since the Illinois State Police (ISP) initiated inspections of Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealers, there has been a significant decline in the number of firearms stolen from these dealers. In 2024, thefts from FFL dealers in Illinois plummeted by nearly 80% compared to 2023 and by 92% compared to 2022.
To tackle the issue of illegal firearms, the General Assembly enacted the Firearm Dealer License Certification Act, which came into effect on January 18, 2019. This legislation mandated that all certified FFL dealers install a video security system by January 2, 2021. To ensure compliance, the ISP began conducting site visits in 2021 and inspections in 2022. Since the Act’s implementation and particularly following the ISP’s inspections focusing on security measures, the number of firearms stolen from dealers has dramatically decreased.
In 2022, there were 103 firearms stolen, which dropped to 39 in 2023 and further reduced to just 8 in 2024.
This announcement follows the ISP’s recent release of 2024 interstate shooting data, which indicates a 31% reduction in shootings compared to 2023. The ISP’s ongoing commitment to allocating resources and enforcing regulations is effectively curbing illegal firearm possession and associated gun violence, thereby enhancing safety across communities statewide.
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