The Outpost partners with Crime Stoppers to reduce unregistered firearms

Crime Stoppers has partnered with the firearm dealer to reduce the threat of illicit firearms falling into the wrong hands.

An Emerald firearm dealer has joined forces with Crime Stoppers to reduce the threat of illicit firearms falling into the wrong hands.

Crime Stoppers has partnered with a The Outpost Arms and Munitions to promote a permanent national firearms amnesty, allowing locals to avoid hefty fines by coming forward.

Being caught with an unregistered or illegal firearm outside amnesty conditions could result in a fine of up to $66,725, up to 13 years in jail, and a criminal record.

The Outpost Arms and Munitions Managing Director Nathan Armstrong said his stores in Emerald and Rockhampton would support of the amnesty by helping members of the public dispose of unwanted firearms.

“The ongoing amnesty is a good initiative as it allows members of the public a legal means to appropriately to appropriately dispose of unwanted firearms in the community,” he said.

“These firearms are often found as part of a deceased estate or sometimes as part of a property purchase. Usually, these articles are in a very poor and sometimes completely unserviceable condition.

“However, prior to the amnesty being launched people were hesitant to do anything with these firearms in fear of prosecution, so they remained unsecured in the community.”

Crime Stoppers Queensland (CSQ) Deputy Chair Greg Beale and a team of volunteers have been travelling through Queensland, working with local communities to educate regional Queenslanders about the risk associated with unregistered firearms.

CSQ CEO Carmen Jenkinson said Australia had an estimated 250,000 long arm and 10,000 handguns that were either unregistered or unable to be registered, as well as prohibited firearm accessories.

“Our focus in Emerald and surrounding regional towns is to educate the public on the threat of unwanted, unregistered and illicit firearms and encouraging residents to hand in these firearms so that they cannot fall into the wrong hands,” she said.

“Firearms are often kept in innocence and ignorance of their illegality or simply overlooked and forgotten in people’s homes.

“There are occasions where someone might have Grandad’s old gun in the back shed, have received a gun from a friend or family member, or a firearm is legally registered but no longer needed.”

Ms Jenkinson said unregistered firearms posed a serious a threat to local communities because they were difficult to trace and could fall into the hands of criminals.

The amnesty provides an opportunity to safely dispose of a firearm without cost or penalty.

Crime Stoppers participated in a national firearm amnesty in 2017, which saw 57,324 firearms handed in along with 2,432 parts and accessories and more than 80,000 rounds of ammunition.

During that campaign, a number of machine guns were handed in, including a WWII Sten and a Russian-made sub-machine gun, as well as a flare gun converted to shoot 12-gauge ammunition, a rocket launcher, and an anti-tank bolt action rifle.

More information about Queensland requirements, including how and where to surrender firearms, can be found here.