INDIANAPOLIS — Behind lock and key at the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives office are hundreds of pieces of evidence and dozens of guns used in crimes.
"These guns are being purchased locally and remain locally majority of the time in crimes," said John Nokes, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the ATF in Indiana and Ohio.
He says 11% of the guns they collect in crimes were legally purchased within a three month span. In a year, Nokes says it's about 30%.
"That's significant to us because that's a direct transfer from a legal commerce to the hands of to people who are supposed to have the firearms and they're committing some sort of crime with it," said Agent Nokes.
He says teenagers, felons and people who use drugs often get guns from what's called a straw purchase.
Nokes says that's when someone buys a gun legally and then sells it to a person on the street.
He says for something like a Glock, the price ranges between $300 to $500.
"A lot of time the purchase price of a firearm on the street is dependent on that firearms history. So, if it's been involved in a shooting or other crimes, often times the criminal in possession of that firearm is willing to get rid of it for a lesser price because they know what they've done with it," said Agent Nokes.
Now, let's say you get caught with a gun you bought from the street and it gets traced back to another crime. Nokes says all eyes are on you.
Click here to read the ATF's report on illegal gun purchases in Indianapolis.
"Often times that person who now possessed that firearm is willing to get ahead of those charges and are willing to cooperate with us and tell us who they purchased the firearm from or where they got it from and we're going to trace that backwards until we get the best source we can and charge the appropriate people," said Agent Nokes.
Nokes says Indiana is it's own source state.
According to the ATF, that means Indiana contributes to its own gun problem.
So much so that the ATF says 70% of the guns they collect from crimes were illegally purchased right here in Indiana. Another way criminals are getting their hands on guns is by stealing them.
Nokes says if your gun was stolen, always report it.