This is the moment it has all gun wrong for a forgetful cop.
The officer – from the town of Guaymallen, Mendoza Province, Argentina – had put his service pistol in the oven of his family home for safekeeping.
But he forgot about the 9mm handgun and later turned on the cooker to prepare lunch after going out with his wife.
After coming home and starting to make lunch, within minutes, there was a strong smell of burning and thick smoke as the plastic handle of the firearm melted, as can be seen in the photograph.
After scooping it out with a tea towel, he dropped the gun in the freezer, but it was too late to save it from being damaged beyond repair.
The red-faced officer – not named in local media – confessed to his bosses, and the gun and spare ammunition were confiscated by the Mendoza General Security Inspectorate.
It is unclear if the officer faces any disciplinary action or if he has been issued with a replacement firearm.
The make and model of the 9-millimetre service firearm are currently unclear.
It is not unusual for a number of a gun’s components to be made of plastic, while the parts that are subjected to high stress are invariably made of metal parts.