Legal Weapons Cache Found in Tampa

The Bradenton Hearald ^ | 2/18/2003 | AP Wire Service

[Poser]

TAMPA, Fla. - Deputies dressed in SWAT gear surrounded a home for about six hours after receiving a report that there was a cache of about 200 guns and a hand grenade inside the house, authorities said.

Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies evacuated about 15 neighboring homes Monday because two bank agents foreclosing on the house reported seeing numerous firearms and explosives inside, along with some canned goods.

It was later determined that the resident, Robert Walters, 46, is an avid gun collector. The weapons, which included an inactive hand grenade and an inactive mortar, were all legal, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said. No charges were filed.

Officers arriving at the house just before noon Monday did not know whether Walters or anyone else was inside, so they used a bullhorn to try to persuade Walters to come out.

Deputies later found Walters through relatives. He was not in the home, but Walters told deputies they could search the home because he didn't have anything illegal.

During the ordeal, deputies dressed in SWAT gear and carrying rifles walked the streets as residents looked on from front yards and street corners.

Walters bought the home in 1977, property records show. It was foreclosed upon in January by Chase Mortgage Services, court records show.

[Poser]

I think I'm the first to post this. I just love it when legal guns are found by SWAT teams.

[Leisler]

"...During the ordeal..."

Heros, each and every one.

[DannyTN]

It looks like it was brought to a head because the property was foreclosed on.

[Centurion2000]

During the ordeal, deputies dressed in SWAT gear and carrying rifles walked the streets as residents looked on from front yards and street corners.

Welcome to the police state.

[DAnconia55]

An inactive grenade is a hunk of metal, not a weapon.

[vt_crosscut]

I hope he has a good inventory of what was his. I'd hate to see any of his collection "misplaced"

Then again, he's lucky he wasn't home. He might have gotten shot while "reaching for one of the numerous weapons"

[Reeses]

I'm surprised they didn't publish his credit report and driving violations since 1977. He is a gun owner after all.

[ibbryn]

agents...reported seeing numerous firearms and explosives inside, along with some canned goods.

It's the cans I'm worried about. What was he planning on doing with them?

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[blackdog]

What was the four legged canine body count?

All that adrenaline, either some dogs are gonna get it or grandpa is gettin lung shot, to suffocate while they spend an hour securing the scene so it's safe for the ambulance crew.

[jocwhales]

I wonder if the foreclosing agents can be held liable if this man's house is burglarized as a result of this public declaration of its contents.

[Paleo Conservative]

Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies evacuated about 15 neighboring homes Monday because two bank agents foreclosing on the house reported seeing numerous firearms and explosives inside, along with some canned goods.

Perhaps he ought to file a lawsuit against the mortgage company. I'm sure there are lots of trial lawyers if Florida who would be willing to take the case on a contingency basis.

[JRandomFreeper]

Why didn't he sell some of his collection to make the mortgage payment? Lots of folks do that when they get laid off. With 200 weapons (unless they were all junk) he should have been able to make at least a few payments.

/john

[DannyTN]

It does seem strange. Seems like he would have at least moved his stuff out. But they haven't said the circumstances. Could be due to illness or illness in the family or who knows?

[blackdog]

Regarding good police work, the guy has been in the house a long time. I mean an interview with some neighbors perhaps? Maybe a polite phone call to the guy asking him about the situation? He most likely would have had the cops over for a cup of coffee while they checked things out.

Every time SWAT is called on in a residential stormtrooper parade is another example of lousy police work, and a budget for SWAT that needs to be used.

[blackdog]

Florida is full of strange mortgages that defy sound logic. They have mortgages available on just a signature if you are willing to pay a 15% rate. No questions asked. They are private investor mortgages and can avoid federal guidelines in mortgage banking.

We bought a home where the owner was a pilot for Northwest. He had a non-qualifying assumable mortgage at 14.5% from one of those Florida companies. He still had about $60,000 worth of loans from his flight school training that he had shafted. How anyone can still buy a house like that I don't know. If the flight school loan creditors levy his bank account with a court order, he can't pay the mortgage, and badda-bing....Foreclosure. It's like dealing with Tony Soprano.

[FReepaholic]

>>...Legal Weapons Cache Found in Tampa...<<

Doncha just love the idiot press? The man has a COLLECTION of guns. Using the term "cache" makes it sound as if he were hiding something. Idiots.

[blackdog]

And a locked front door means you are barricaded in your own home. There is an entire dictionary of LEO, media jargon which puts dead dogs and ski masks on the legitimate acts of law enforcement.

[coloradan]

Walters told deputies they could search the home because he didn't have anything illegal didn't understand the Fourth Amendment and his right to be secure in his house and possessions from unreasonable searches without a warrant, whether or not he was actually guilty of anything, and that his desire for privacy should not be construed as an attempt to conceal criminal misdoing.

Now that he has allowed the search, the police have happily told the press of his ownership of 200 firearms (and an inert grenade and canned food), earning him a reputation. They probably collected the serial numbers of all the guns too - just to be sure they weren't stolen. (You can't be too careful!)

[coloradan]

They're no idiots ... they know exactly what they are doing.