Lock em or lose em Waikato Police warn gun owners as thieves target firearms

Waikato Police are worried too many firearms are reaching the hands of people they shouldn't and warn of a behind the scenes commodities market emerging, in which victims' guns are becoming hot items.

Detective Sergeant Andrew Mortimore of the Waikato Tactical Crime Unit said so far this year there has been about 17 firearms related burglaries resulting in over 75 guns being stolen from across the District.

"There's no one isolated area where these burglaries are occurring.
The most recent incident saw 10 firearms stolen from a Matamata property over the holiday weekend while the week before two Aria homes were targeted.

"Other areas affected include properties in Raglan, Te Kauwhata, Kihikihi, Glenn Massey, Waitoa, Kaihere, Waihou, Waharoa, Matamata, Thames and Te Puninga and three burglaries in Hamilton."

"So far the greatest number taken from one address was the 10 from Matamata but just one firearm falling into the wrong hands could lead to tragedy."

Mr Mortimore said all too often Police investigating drug and dishonesty related offences were recovering firearms.

"It's not very often now that we search an address linked to illegal activity that we don't recover firearms in offenders' possession.

"Illegally obtained firearms have become sought after commodities in their own right and there appears to be an unhealthy market developing where offenders can obtain and offload firearms."

Mr Mortimore said while the main focus for Police is to find the offenders responsible and hold them to account, officers will be working closely with the District Firearms Officer to ensure firearms owners have been securing their weapons according to their license requirements.

"Good security and discretion are two key ingredients in keeping yourself, your family and your community safe in terms of firearms safety.

"When a person suffers a burglary where firearms have been taken as a matter of course Police investigate whether the firearms were appropriately stored and work to identify means to prevent such victimisation occurring again.
Where firearms are deemed not to have been secured legally then we also look if that owner is a fit and proper person to hold a firearms license."

Mr Mortimore said firearms owners are regularly checked to ensure their firearms are stored in the manner set out in the Arms Regulations.
"If you can't meet these requirements, you may not get a licence or your current one could be revoked, it really is a case of "Lock em or Lose em" and we're asking all firearms owners, particularly heading towards to opening of duck shooting and the roar to do everything they can to prevent themselves becoming victims.

Some security tips:
• All licence holders must install security at their home, even if they don't actually have any firearms.
Security requirements are particularly strict for dealers and for licence holders who possess pistols, restricted weapons or MSSAs.

• You must never put a firearm where a child could reach it.
• You must store firearms and ammunition separately or disable the firearms, or both.
• You must keep your firearms unloaded and locked away in a rack, stout cabinet, steel cabinet or strong-room.
• Where practicable remove the working parts or bolts from your firearm so if they are taken, they are inoperable.
• Use firearms responsibly, don't advertise you have them in your home.
• Avoid using firearms with alcohol, drugs or prescribed medications.
• Never leave firearms unattended.

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