After the fire at a garden shed in Lichtenstein-Unterhausen in the Reutlingen district emergency services found an open case containing five pistols on 31 October. According to police, the case was on the property's terrace. The weapons were seized; investigators are now checking whether they were legally owned and stored.
According to a statement from Reutlingen Police Headquarters, the fire Reutlingen was probably caused by garden waste flaring up again on a wood-fired grill The fire brigade put out the fire quickly. Initial checks found no major damage. There were no indications of any risk to neighbouring buildings.
Police officers noticed the open case while documenting the fire scene. The property owner, a 70-year-old target shooter, said he owned and stored other firearms in accordance with the law. He was unable to provide proof of authorisation on the scene for the five pistols in the case. Police seized the weapons and opened an investigation into their origin and legal status. They are examining whether an offence or a regulatory violation has been committed.
The Reutlingen Police Headquarters informed the The Tübingen public prosecutor’s office. The authorities gave no further details about the man's identity or any other possible people involved, citing the ongoing investigation.
German firearms law requires firearms to be stored securely. Storing them in an open or unlocked space can have legal consequences. Whether the storage found in this case breached these requirements is being examined by the investigators responsible.
According to the fire service, the operation was brief because the fire was extinguished quickly. In connection with the incident, local authorities highlighted the dangers of disposing of or burning garden waste improperly and referred to the fire safety rules in force. Police intend to provide further information as the investigation progresses.
The incident took place on the morning of 31 October in Lichtenstein-Unterhausen. The discovery of the five pistols while documenting the fire scene is the reason for the current investigation; no confirmed findings on the final legal assessment are yet available.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).