New rules issued Monday give gun dealers access to the FBI's stolen firearms database.

The new rule, signed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, implements parts of the bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) passed in June 2022. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) can now search the FBI database to see if a gun for sale has been reported as stolen before purchasing it. press release. (Related: Associated Press reports that 1,900 U.S. military firearms stolen in past decade, some used in violent crimes)

The rule gives FFLs purchasing firearms two options: either work with law enforcement agencies to search their databases for firearm records, or states can request a portion of their stolen firearms records from law enforcement agencies and provide them to FFLs in their jurisdictions, the press release explained.

According to the FBI, a gun is stolen from a car every 15 minutes across the country, and Bay Area police are urging gun owners not to leave their firearms in unlocked cars. https://t.co/hVHml4TEvN

— FOX 13 Tampa Bay (@FOX13News) June 26, 2024

If an FFL's investigation reveals that a firearm has been reported stolen, the seller can report this to law enforcement, the press release states, which can assist officers investigating these crimes and potentially deter future violent crimes using stolen firearms.

Several studies have shown that most guns used in violent crimes are obtained illegally.