Gun theft to earn jail

Shooters Union calls for weapons theft to be defined

THE Shooters Union wants the State Government to make gun theft a defined criminal offence which it claims will see a further reduction in the rate of stolen weapons.

It comes as Police Minister Mark Ryan revealed gun theft across the state had dropped to its lowest in four years with 581 reported instances in 2017.

But Shooters Union Australia president and Warwick farmer Graham Park said changing the criminal code and hefty penalties for convicted offenders would further cut the statistics.

The Darling Downs has one of the highest rates of registered firearms in Queensland, and police statistics had previously put it among the highest regions for weapons thefts.

Mr Park welcomed the reduction in gun thefts, but said more needed to be done to protect the rights of legitimate weapons owners.

“Legitimate firearm owners have requirements and there are penalties that apply for not meeting them,” he said.

“We don’t want the weapons getting into the wrong hands, however there is very little penalty for stealing a firearm.

“We want a specific offence of the theft of the firearm, either a significant financial penalty or jail time.”

The union hopes to to define the offence, and help promote the message, ‘‘steal a gun, go to jail’’.

Mr Ryan and Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart on Monday announced the results of the statewide operation which seized 869 weapons since February 1.

Operation Quebec Camouflage targeted the seizure of illegal firearms to prevent firearms-related offences.

“Although gun theft is at its lowest in Queensland for four years, Operation Quebec Camouflage shows police are not resting on their laurels,” Mr Ryan said.

Commissioner Stewart said although Queensland had a very healthy firearm community, there was still a large proportion of firearms stolen from regional communities where insufficient firearm security was a contributing factor.