After Gun Thefts, California Police Now Required To Lock Firearms In Cars

SACRAMENTO (CBS / AP) — Gun owners and law-enforcement officers will be required to lock up their firearms if they leave them in an unattended vehicle under legislation Gov. Jerry Brown has signed.

The Democratic governor said Monday that he's signed a bill introduced in response to high-profile thefts from the vehicles of law enforcement officers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

SB869 requires that anyone leaving a handgun in a vehicle lock it in the trunk or a locked container out of plain sight, or face a $1,000 fine.

Handguns stolen from law enforcement officers' cars last year were used in the San Francisco killing of 32-year-old Kate Steinle in July and 27-year-old Oakland muralist Antonio Ramos in September.

The measure was among four gun bills Brown signed Monday. He vetoed two.

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