At one time I stored my guns in safes with the fore ends or trigger groups in another location. At one time a had a separate safe in a storage room in my office with shelves with about fifty fore ends and trigger groups. Then I built a separate gun room at home with a large safe door and reinforced concrete walls. A pro will get in, given time and tools, but the local punks will never bother me with my setup.
that said the more likely story is just a case of fore end and gun getting separated by accident. Often the owner forgets where one or the other is or he dies and the heirs can not locate items to make the complete again. I have bought more than one gun missing a stock, or set of barrels or other parts after the owner died and the heirs can not find parts complete the set.
