Hello all,
In February 2012 I purchased a pistol from the LGS, PICS approval number in less then 10 minutes, got the pistol and was good to go.
The pistol I originally purchased was defective after 4 months, sent back to manufacture, it could not be repaired so a replacement was shipped.
I went to pick up the replacement last night and the PICS system denied me the right to pick up my replacement pistol. The LGS manager questioned the operator (he was the same person that sold me the original pistol) stating that I was ok'd for it back in February and gave the operator the approval number (I keep that paperwork in my range bag).
Not one thing has changed since February, no police stops, no arrests/detainments, no charges filed or dropped, absolutely nothing at all happened since February, not even any traffic stops, NOTHING has changed at all in the time that's gone by. I did a docket search using the link below, I checked the magisterial courts as well as the Philadelphia courts and no records were found with my name and birthday under any of the search criteria. I omitted my birthday and ran the search again, 3 people with the same name as me popped up, each with a different middle initial, each with different birthdays and each had criminal records....BUT, none of them were me.
http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/
Needless to say, I'm worried, concerned, scared and a little angry at the situation.
The shop manager told me this happens quite frequently with the PICS system. A couple of the employees that work for the shop were denied trying to purchase after numerous successful purchases. The application is in "research" right now and I'm to wait a maximum of 15 days for a determination. I'm aware that if it comes back denied I can challenge it, but that's after the waiting period. What really bothers me is, if it comes back denied after an appeal, will I be totally SOL in terms of recovering the money I spent on the original pistol? Technically the replacement pistol is mine but I'm not allowed to have it, so if I'm not allowed to have it, does that mean I'm not allowed to sell it to the shop?
In the mean time, is there anything I can do to find out what is going on? Why I was approved in February and 6 months later I'm denied after having done nothing?
Any suggestions on how to go about this would be greatly appreciated!!!
ESB