Some of the firearms seized by detectives at the Kambah residence on Thursday. Photos: ACT Policing.
Police investigating a series of aggravated robberies at licensed clubs and other business premises across Canberra are confident of bringing the offenders to justice after seizing 14 firearms from a Kambah residence and charging a man with firearms offences.
ACT Policing said detectives from the Criminal Investigations Team yesterday (Thursday, 18 January 2018) executed a search warrant at the Kambah residence, seizing 14 firearms of various types including improvised firearms, modified rifles and pistols, as well as numerous other firearm parts and ammunition.
A 23-year-old Kambah man faced the ACT Magistrates Court today charged with unauthorised possession of firearms, unauthorised manufacture of firearms and possessing ammunition.
Acting Superintendent Mark Steel of ACT Policing Criminal Investigations said police were investigating the man’s links to the armed robberies at licensed clubs and that further arrests and charges were likely.
“We have a number persons before the court in relation to robberies at clubs and also soft targets, business premises and supermarkets etc so those links between this male and those offenders will form part of those enquiries,” he said.
Acting Superintendent Steel said yesterday’s raid was part of an operation that started last October and came about as a result of the work of detectives and information from members of the public.
He said police were concerned at the number of firearms seized and that it was a great result to get them off the streets.
“It’s been an ongoing concern to us the number of firearms that we keep seizing. This takes it to in excess of 30 in the last six months at least but the community can rest assured that we are working very hard and yesterday’s search warrant is a testament to that,” Acting Superintendent Steel said.
With clubs and their traumatised staff being particular targets, Acting Superintendent Steel said police were working very hard with Clubs ACT and non-affiliated clubs to bring these offenders to justice.
“I think that’s what people don’t understand with aggravated robberies, there is an ongoing cost to the community, obviously the victims are traumatised, and we won’t tolerate that,” he said.
Acting Superintendent Steel said the community could also play a role.
“Canberra is a small community, people know the activity that’s going, and certainly when we look at the trauma to persons and the cost to the community, if anyone has information related to robberies and any related offences they can call police or Crimestoppers,” he said.
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