19 May 2009

Police Wrap - 19 May

| johnboy
Join the conversation
14

1. Teens with guns:

    A search conducted by ACT Policing on a Wanniassa home this afternoon (May 15) has recovered four of seven licensed firearms stolen in a burglary yesterday.

    As a result of the search, three juvenile males – two aged 17 years and one 16 years – are in police custody with charges pending.

    Police first became aware of the missing firearms when they were called to a burglary at a home in Wanniassa last night (May 14) around 7.30pm.

    The complainant revealed that seven firearms – including five .22 calibre rifles and two .30-06 calibre rifles – had been stolen from the residence during the day. All the weapons had been registered and appropriately stored.

    Other property items, including a digital camera and a television, were also stolen in the burglary.

    Acting on information received, detectives from the Territory Investigations Group, supported by officers from Specialist Response and Security, conducted a search warrant on a residence in Wanniassa where four of the firearms and a quantity of stolen property was recovered.

    Investigations are continuing.

    As three of the firearms are unrecovered, police are seeking the assistance of the community by urging anyone who may have any information about the burglary or the stolen firearms, or may have seen any suspicious persons or activity in the Wanniassa area yesterday, are urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

2. Kaleen abduction photofit:

    ACT Policing has released a facefit of the offender involved in a possible abduction attempt at Kaleen Primary School on Friday, May 1.

    Just after 3.00pm a six-year-old boy walking between the primary school and pre-school was approached by a man who attempted to pull him into some nearby bushes.

    Police believe a number of parents intervened, causing the man to leave the school grounds. He was then seen getting in to a light green-coloured 4WD which was parked out the front of the school on Ashburton Circuit.

    The man was described as having black hair and wearing a black jumper and black track-suit pants.

    Police are urging anyone with information, particularly any of the parents who intervened, to contact Crime Stoppers.

3. Canberra drink drivers forging ahead:

    The number of motorists caught drink-driving this financial year (2008-2009) has now surpassed the ACT’s record set the previous financial year (2007-2008).

    As of Monday (May 18) 1,593 drivers exceeded the alcohol limit since July 1, 2008, in the ACT. This compares to the previous reporting year (2007-2008) record of 1,584 drivers exceeding the alcohol limit, which itself was 231 more than the previous reporting year (2006-2007).

    Last year (2007-2008), 81,124 drivers were tested for alcohol across the Territory. This compares to 81,784 drivers tested this reporting year between July 1, 2008 and May 18, 2009 in the ACT.

    ACT Policing’s Superintendent Mark Colbran said he was astounded motorists continued to drink-drive despite the numerous warnings and targeted police operations.

    “The number of drivers testing positive for exceeding the alcohol limit in the ACT is shameful. We have now surpassed our all-time record and we still have six weeks left until the end of this financial year,” Supt Colbran said.

    “The issue off drink-driving is not just an issue for the police. It is an issue for everyone in the community. Only by changing community attitudes to drink-driving, so that the entire community makes it clear that this type of behaviour is totally unacceptable, are we likely to see a major reduction in road trauma related to drink-driving.

    “Our statistics on fatal collisions show that every drink-driver we take off the road potentially saves a life in Canberra.”

    The monthly average of drivers testing positive for alcohol from July to April, inclusive, is 147.4 with December recording the highest number of 188 people caught.

    The highest recorded blood alcohol reading for May is 0.329, taken from a 33-year-old man on Gruner Street in Weston on Friday, May 8. This was more than six times the legal limit. Over the weekend May 8-10 police detected 42 drivers allegedly exceeding the blood alcohol limit. Of these drivers, 16 (38%) had at least one previous drink-driving conviction, with one driver having three previous convictions.

    ACT Policing will continue to target drink-driving as we approach winter and the busy ski period.

If you can help police contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via the Crime Stoppers website on www.act.crimestoppers.com.au.

Join the conversation

14
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Some people break in and find where the key is hidden. I dont think there is any law about hiding the key in a perfect location as long as its not near the safe. So they ransack the house and find the key. Also they can be broken into if you use a huge crowbar but it would make a huge noise from what i saw on youtube.

Mind you, the idea that 1 in every 50 drivers around me is sozzled is a bit worrying.

1,593 positives out of 81,784 tests is actually a slight (probably insignificantly so) improvement on last years 1,584 positives out of 81,124 tests.

“16 (38%) had at least one previous drink-driving conviction, with one driver having three previous convictions.”

Now that is a surprise considering how hard the courts are on them……NOT.
How about they start confiscating the cars of drink drivers as well as their licence and at least make it harder for them to re-offend. That might make them think twice.

neanderthalsis1:15 pm 19 May 09

peterh said :

CK, I am not disputing that neanderthalsis’ solution was wrong, I was making the observation of what i would do if I ever returned my firearms to my property, and removed them from the club. The fact that the teenagers were able to secure these weapons whilst in the property suggests that the firing mechanisms were either in close proximity or actually fitted into the firearms – not separately stored. In order to reduce the opportunity of a thief leaving my residence with a fully working firearm, i would make it as difficult as possible for them. the Legal storage requirements do need to be examined, however it may lead to another clamping down of home storage – in favour of a club only storage requirement. And that is not of benefit to anyone outside the operating hours of the club.

The AFP media release doesn’t actually say whether the teens in question had the bolts as well. So we don’t know whether the little miscreants had complete and working rifles or a useless lump of wood and metal.

Agreed though, PeterH, the firing mechs are best stored elsewhere in a locked container away from the rifle itself, although not always possible with some firearms.

Clown Killer said :

I think that neanderthalsis has provided a very comprehensive post on what IS required of licensed gun owners under the applicable laws – I don’t see much point in pontificating about what might be a workable alternative.

The proper place for guns to be stored is where they are stored according to the law. That can be at a gun club or at a private residence or business.

The police will have no problem in laying charges against the owner of guns if they are stolen whilst not properly secured. This present instance may demonstrate a flaw in the requirements for storage, given that it seems three teenagers were able to get their hands on the guns despite the storage requirements being in place – but that is an issue to do with the law, not a failure of the owner of the guns.

CK, I am not disputing that neanderthalsis’ solution was wrong, I was making the observation of what i would do if I ever returned my firearms to my property, and removed them from the club. The fact that the teenagers were able to secure these weapons whilst in the property suggests that the firing mechanisms were either in close proximity or actually fitted into the firearms – not separately stored. In order to reduce the opportunity of a thief leaving my residence with a fully working firearm, i would make it as difficult as possible for them. the Legal storage requirements do need to be examined, however it may lead to another clamping down of home storage – in favour of a club only storage requirement. And that is not of benefit to anyone outside the operating hours of the club.

Clown Killer12:25 pm 19 May 09

I think that neanderthalsis has provided a very comprehensive post on what IS required of licensed gun owners under the applicable laws – I don’t see much point in pontificating about what might be a workable alternative.

The proper place for guns to be stored is where they are stored according to the law. That can be at a gun club or at a private residence or business.

The police will have no problem in laying charges against the owner of guns if they are stolen whilst not properly secured. This present instance may demonstrate a flaw in the requirements for storage, given that it seems three teenagers were able to get their hands on the guns despite the storage requirements being in place – but that is an issue to do with the law, not a failure of the owner of the guns.

recreational shooters can also store their firearms at a club, and pick it up on the way to a hunt. if gun safes are to be used in a home environment, they should have 3 separate safes – 1 for the firing mechanism, 1 for the ammunition and one much further away for the weapon. This will ensure that if a firearm is stolen, the time taken to locate and identify the firing mechanisms / ammo & reassemble the rifle will be greater. An additional precaution that should be mandatory for all shooters with weapons is a back to base security system, so as to ensure that the theft is able to be detected quickly and dealt with by the authorities.

neanderthalsis11:56 am 19 May 09

Posh said :

Everything seems to happen in Wanniassa – however I’m a bit concerned that the ‘appropriately stored’ bit and also why would one person have 7 firearms in suburbia? Who licenses these people?

Believe it or not Posh, some people shoot recreationally, and different disciplines require different types of firearms.

Also, “stored appropriately” means:

If not more than 10 category A or category B firearms are stated in
the licence:
(a) the firearms must be stored in a metal lockable container and
the firing mechanisms must be stored in a separate lockable
metal drawer or container that may be external or internal to
the metal lockable container; or

(b) the firearms must be stored in a security container that is
constructed of a recognised hardwood and lined with steel
sheeting, the door of which is fitted with metal hinges and
either:
(i) an appropriate deadlock; or
(ii) 2 sliding bolts fitted with padlocks of an appropriate
strength.

(3) If a container mentioned in subsection (2) (other than a container for firing mechanisms) weighs less than 150kg when empty, it must be fixed to the floor or wall with no fewer than 2 appropriate anchor bolts.

Also, under the Firearms Act, Police have the power to conduct storage inspections without consent of the licence holder.

ant said :

Posh said :

Everything seems to happen in Wanniassa

Because it’s near Kambah.

oh, ha ha, ant. why am I not surprised?

best place to have firearms “appropriately stored” is in a gun safe at a gun club. what perfectly good reason would someone have to keep their rifles in their home? Those days are long gone.

Posh said :

Everything seems to happen in Wanniassa

Because it’s near Kambah.

Everything seems to happen in Wanniassa – however I’m a bit concerned that the ‘appropriately stored’ bit and also why would one person have 7 firearms in suburbia? Who licenses these people?

Not really related, but I’m wondering, were the police serious about the “dob in a dangerous driver” statement they made last month? I saw an incredibly dangerous driver this morning (silver c-class merc with the licence plate “GR9”) swerving in and out of traffic, jinking into spots that weren’t big enough for his car, forcing the person in the other lane to slam on the brakes and creating a spot for him to get into… he did this for a good 5-10 minutes down northborne, it was insane.

What is it about Wanniassa?!

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.