Untraceable guns, knives, bulletproof vest recovered from Houston-area home

HOUSTON – So-called ghost guns, which are unmarked and untraceable, were found inside a man's Houston-area home when a family contacted authorities after noticing some questionable weapons, officials said.

A photo taken by the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable office showed unmarked guns taken into protective custody.

"It's not traceable,” said Constable Alan Rosen. 

Rosen said a concerned family did the right thing and contacted the Mental Health Special Operations Division of his office. Deputies recently picked up the man, in his late 20s, for evaluation. 

"Obviously it alarmed me. Because this young man, I can't help but think was waiting for Armageddon," Rosen said.  

He said investigators discovered ammunition, knives, a bulletproof vest and two so-called ghost guns. Rosen said they were unmarked and untraceable.

Channel 2 Investigates first exposed this problem in April 2017. Investigative reporter Robert Arnold found several sites selling do-it-yourself rifle building kits. The companies only required a credit card and billing and shipping addresses to send an AR-15 rifle kit. The kit shipped without a background check or paperwork.

"It just takes away any traceability of a gun, especially if they are used in a crime," Rosen said.

According to federal law, the individual parts do not equal a firearm. Without the serial numbers, law enforcement said it is nearly impossible to track how many ghost guns are used in crimes.

"For the life of me, I don't understand why anybody in their right mind is going to do something positive would have to have a ghost gun that is untraceable.  It makes no sense to me," Rosen said.