[Johnny Peppers]

If the owner had a police report of the stolen weapon that fully described the pistol, he could have taken the person with the pistol to civil court and most likely had his pistol returned. The problem with the P08, P38, and K98k is that there are duplicate serial numbers in all of them and among them. If the police report had only the serial number and "German Pistol", the owner would stand little chance of getting it back in court. The police report would have to have ALL the necessary data on the firearm to be of use in court. If you are accused of having a stolen weapon and are taken to court, it would be best to be represented by counsel. Any good attorney would have the information at hand that shows that the serial number alone is duplicated many times, and that there is not enough description to say with certainty that the firearm in question is actually the accusers. If you had recorded the serial number with suffix and the year of manufacture and/or manufacturer, there would be little doubt who was the rightful owner. The firearm in question would probably be held by the court until the lawsuit was settled.