Criminals Use 'Ghost Guns' More Often In Camden County Crimes, Officials Say

CAMDEN, NJ — Criminals are using untraceable "ghost guns" in Camden more and more, officials say, as they anticipate seizing a record number of said firearms in 2022.

"Ghost guns" are firearms that lack serial numbers, and are often made at home from kits or partially complete frames and receivers. They're also known as privately made firearms.

They can be purchased without background checks, allowing people who are prohibited from having firearms to get around the laws.

The Camden County Police Department said the number of criminals using ghost guns has increased over the past several years. To date, CCPD officers have recovered 45 ghost guns in Camden city. Officials say they will seize more ghost guns this year than last year, when officers seized 61.

In 2019, for contrast, Camden County Police seized seven ghost guns.

“Firearms in general, and ghost guns in particular, have always undermined the quality of life for residents in the city and have been the primary resource for criminals to sow the seeds of chaos,” said CCPD Chief Gabriel Rodriguez. “I want to commend the work of our men and women in uniform and the tremendous job they have done to get these weapons off the streets.”

Ghost guns made up almost 20 percent of the total firearms that officers took from from suspects or found at crime scenes last year, officials said.

Across the county, the Camden County Police Department has recovered 311 firearms as of October 24. Officers recovered 332 firearms for all of 2022, police said.

This August, a federal rule requiring serial numbers and background checks on self-assembled firearms kit went into effect. Read more: Federal 'Ghost Gun' Rule Critical To Fighting Gun Violence, NJ AG Says

The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) says the number of ghost guns recovered by law enforcement has increased tenfold since 2016.

“Too many lives have been lost at the hands of criminals with ghost guns and too many criminals have gone unpunished for carrying illegal guns,” said Camden City Mayor Victor Carstarphen in a news release. “The work that the CCPD is doing to get these guns off the streets is incredible and every day, these officers are making our community safer. We will continue this effort until our streets are devoid of these deadly weapons.”