Hi everyone and welcome to episode 22 of FBI retired case file review with Jerry Williams.

I'm a retired agent writing crime fiction inspired by actual FBI cases.

In this episode I interview, retired agent Bob Bason who served in the FBI for 28 years.

Bob spent most of his career working property crime cases and he developed a specialization in art crime. During the interview he talks about

studying the Masters at the Barnes Foundation and investigating and discovering stolen art from all around the world

while assigned to the Philadelphia Division. He reviews a case he worked with the

Philadelphia Police Department of an armed robbery by gunpoint of a priceless sculpture, man with a broken nose from the

Rodin Museum.

Bob tells us how he took his love of art and used it to enhance his FBI career.

Before we get to that interview, I need to acknowledge that I am recording this just days after the horrific tragic events in Orlando.

I'm saddened, I'm frustrated, and I'm angry.

What I don't understand is how the average citizen can walk into a gun store

and purchase an assault rifle. Now for 26 years I carried a gun every day and I train with the rifle in the shotgun and I know how powerful they are and I truly believe that only law enforcement and military personnel should be allowed to have assault weapons.

I'm not trying to take anybody's pistols and revolvers and hunting shotguns away, but being able to purchase an assault rifle.

I just don't get it.

The last thing I want to say before we get to the interview,

and we will get to the interview,

is that I was in the FBI during that period of transition after 9-11.

Working in the FBI during that period of time I watched the Bureau change from a law enforcement agency

to a national security agency not just investigating crime but trying to prevent crime. I hope you continue listening to FBI retired

case file review but understand that we're reminiscing about a time and cases that are

certainly different from what the FBI is facing today.

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