Canberra police gun stolen after being left in car at Belconnen
The AFP is trying to find a stolen police gun and figure out why it was left in a parked car
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The Australian Federal Police are trying to track down weapons — including a loaded gun — stolen from a cop car in Canberra on Wednesday.
In a statement on Thursday afternoon, the AFP said a police duty belt was stolen from a police car in Fraser on Wednesday morning.
It is unclear why it took police more than a day to tell the public that one of their loaded guns was likely in the hands of a criminal.
The circumstances surrounding the gun being stolen were not detailed in the brief statement, but a police spokesman said an the AFP’s professional standards unit was conducting an internal investigation into the theft alongside efforts to track down the missing equipment.
The short statement appears to suggest there was a serious breach of the AFP’s rules on officers carrying weapons
AFP orders on weapons require officers to carry “all personally issued equipment while on duty” and not leave any equipment unattended.
Police duty belts are typically worn by plainclothes officers, such as detectives, while uniformed police carry their equipment on a vest.
The minimal “accoutrements” on a duty belt include a loaded Glock pistol, handcuffs, and extra ammunition.
Police want any members of the public with information about the missing gun and equipment to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
Police also want anyone who was in Fraser between 5am and midday to hand in any dashcam footage they have.