More than 8000 guns stolen, lost or missing in South Australia over the past decade

Thousands of firearms remain unaccounted for across the state since 2010, from shotguns and rifles to air pistols.

More than 8000 registered firearms have been reported stolen, lost or missing in South Australia over the past decade.

SA Police documents reveal pump-action shotguns, semi-automatic rifles, paintball guns and air pistols are among firearms that have disappeared between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2020.

The state’s top firearms cop says any unaccounted gun is a concern and has warned licence holders about the serious responsibility of ownership and possession.

Figures obtained by the Opposition under Freedom of Information laws show 2225 of the 8020 firearms had been stolen, while a further 237 were classified as lost.

The remaining 5558 registered guns are still considered missing having been identified by police during an audit or investigation, which looks at the circumstances of the disappearance.

This can include transferring possession and ownership without the appropriate paperwork or where the owner has died and police are unable to find the firearm.

Officers also assess the gun owner’s fitness to continue holding a licence and any possible offences that may have been committed under the Firearms Act or regulations.

SA Police Firearms Branch officer-in-charge Superintendent Stephen Howard said any charges depended on the circumstances in which a gun was stolen, lost or missing.

He said offences included breaching the firearms security code of practice and failing to report the loss, theft or destruction of a gun to the registrar within 24 hours.

“Firearm ownership and possession is a serious responsibility. It is a privilege to own and possess a firearm and this is conditional on the overriding need to ensure public safety,” Superintendent Howard told The Advertiser.

“Firearms which cannot be accounted for are a concern … and if the licence holder has not complied with the act and regulations then police will investigate and take appropriate action.”

Superintendent Howard said a gun owner found by the registrar to be not fit and proper could have their firearms licence cancelled and be unable to apply for three years.

He said police worked closely with other Australian law enforcement agencies to investigate the illicit firearms trade.

Opposition police spokesman Lee Odenwalder said the figures were “a huge concern” and called on the State Government to ensure the firearms did not pose a threat to the community.

“Any of these guns in the wrong hands is a tragedy waiting to happen,” Mr Odenwalder said.

“Over the past year we have seen a significant increase in violent crime including armed robbery.”

Mr Odenwalder said the State Government had cut $38m from the SA Police budget “at a time like this when we need more investment in police, not cuts”.

“We know police resources are stretched because of the COVID response,” he said.

Police Minister Vincent Tarzia argued crime rates had plummeted by almost 17,000 offences when compared with the same period under the former Labor government.

He said this included a 20 per cent drop in robberies with weapons.

“Circumstances surrounding missing, lost or stolen firearms are investigated thoroughly by SA Police,” Mr Tarzia said.

“The ownership and use of firearms is a privilege not a right. All owners are urged to be responsible with firearms and comply with their obligations.”

Firearms seized by police at Renmark. Picture: SA Police

The Advertiser in May revealed licensed gun owners would be required to self-audit their firearms in a national-first strategy aimed at increasing public safety.

Superintendent Howard said 1087 self-audits and 3503 firearms had been processed since the launch of the program.

Latest police figures show there are 63,089 licensees and 316,147 registered firearms in SA.

“A high level of co-operation has been seen from licence holders so far and therefore no person has had their licence cancelled as a result of the audit,” Superintendent Howard said.

Police in October declared gel blasters a regulated imitation firearm and forced owners to obtain a licence and register their guns before April 7, 2021.

The amnesty also allowed owners to safely surrender them at police stations or face serious weapons charges. There are an estimated 62,000 gel blasters in circulation across the state.

There have been 1099 gel blasters surrendered and 213 firearms licence applications received.

Originally published as More than 8000 guns stolen, lost or missing in South Australia over the past decade