KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — An antique rifle that was stolen from a Knoxville home in 1973 and most recently sold for more than $31,000 has been returned to the original owner’s family.
According to Knoxville Police, Property Crime Detective David Ogle recently tracked down and returned the Winchester Model 1895 rifle that had been missing for more than 50 years to Jim Slocum’s family.
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In 1973, Slocum’s home was burglarized and sixteen firearms were taken from his father’s collection, KPD explained. Although several of the guns were eventually recovered, the Winchester Model 1895, which is a prestigious and rare piece, remained missing.
For Slocum’s family, the piece has a significant sentimental and historical value. Slocum’s grandfather was gifted the lever-action rifle by Winchester in the early 1930s after he personally developed a unique bolt design the company still uses today.
Through the course of his detailed investigation, Ogle traced the rifle through two separate auction companies, KPD said. This led him to Virginia, where the rifle had most recently been purchased for $31,625. KPD added that the person who bought the rifle generously agreed to return it to the Slocum family.
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“Today, after more than five decades, the Property Crimes Unit proudly reunited James Slocum with a priceless piece of his family’s history,” KPD wrote…