Thanks everyone for all of your input! Here's a quote from CA DOJ regarding the return of a stolen assault rifle........
"Dear Mr. ********:
Your lawfully registered assault weapon would be returned to you, if
recovered by law enforcement, after its use as evidence had been served.
I have excerpted the portion of the penal code that addresses this
portion of the law. The fact that the weapon is an assault weapon does
not change the requirement to return to weapon to you.
Pursuant to 12028(c)..." If any weapon has been stolen and is
thereafter recovered from the thief or his or her transferee, or is used
in such a manner as to constitute a nuisance pursuant to subdivision (a)
or (b) without the prior knowledge of its lawful owner that it would be
so used, it shall not be so offered for sale but shall be restored to
the lawful owner, as soon as its use as evidence has been served, upon
his or her identification of the weapon and proof of ownership. . ."
Sally S. Carney, Field Representative
Firearms Division"
I guess I'll be making some phone calls. Ya never know, I might just get lucky. In all fairness, Sac County Sheriff's Dept. recovered one of my hand guns that was also stolen. After another background check and about a year's worth of red tape (agency transfer) I got it back again.