Finding a firearm in a purchased house

[Paul Sandhu]

Several years ago at the delinquent property tax sheriffs sale I bought a small warehouse/storage building. There was a dumptruck in there. With a little bit of paperwork I was able to get a title in my name for the truck, and then get license plates.

Last week I bought a house at the delinquent property tax sale. I can not enter the house until the county issues me a new deed and bill of sale for the property.  Probably take another week or two.  It has been vacant for 8 months, according to the neighbors. I looked in the windows and saw a long gun leaning against a wall. It looks like a semi-auto .22 or a pellet gun that you pump 10 times.

Once I get the deed, I'll cut the doorknob off and enter the house. If that gun is a pellet gun, no big deal. If it's a .22 what should I do next? I don't want to be in possession of a stolen firearm. But I'm not going to give it away if it becomes mine (like the dumptruck).