‘No excuse’: community urged to hand in illegal firearms

The Geelong suburbs with the highest rates of gun crime have been revealed as police crack down on illegal firearms across the city. SEE THE LIST.

More than 100 known Geelong criminals have been hit with tough gun orders as police launch a renewed crack down on weapons offences across the region.

Geelong Crime Investigation Unit Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Guthrie said police were determined to stamp out violence and stop weapons getting into the hands of violent offenders.

He said Geelong police have issued 134 firearm prohibition orders since police were first granted the powers to issue them in 2020.

The orders allow police to search properties without a warrant or consent.

Victoria Police and Crime Stoppers on Tuesday urged community members to come forward if they had any information about illegal weapons.

“We know that illicit firearms (are) a real issue in society across … the state of Victoria. We here at the Geelong (CIU) and other CIUs … (in) Colac, Torquay and the western region make it a priority,” Sergeant Guthrie said.

Crime Statistics Agency data shows 688 firearms offences were recorded in Greater Geelong from 2019 to 2021.

Last year Corio had the highest number of firearms offences across region with 32 recorded.

Crime Stoppers Victoria chief officer Stella Smith said the fight against illegal guns was “ramping up”.

“New Crime Statistics Agency data shows that there has been an increase of nearly 5 per cent in gun-related incidents in Victoria since 2020,” Ms Smith said.

“Illegal firearms mean dangerous shootings, thefts, and other incidents or violent acts that can put innocent lives at risk.

Sergeant Guthrie said there was “nothing worse” than an incident involving a firearm.

Since the first permanent national firearm amnesty was launched in mid-2021, 13,000 firearms have been surrendered.

Sergeant Guthrie said it is “really concerning” to see the increased occurrence of firearm incidents.

“There’s nothing worse than when you have to go to a scene where a firearm has been involved, and someone’s been seriously hurt or killed,” he said.

“You just see the ripple effect that it has on everyone – the community, the families.

“We really need to do everything we can as a community … to get as many firearms off the streets as we can.”

Sergeant Guthrie said any piece of information given to Crime Stoppers anonymously could be the final piece in the puzzle to get firearms off the streets.

He said on Tuesday morning, there were officers in the community with a warrant, acting on information provided by the community through Crime Stoppers.

Firearms crackdown

“Please come forward, provide your information, and we will act on it straightaway,” he said.

“We want to make the community as safe as possible.”

“How would you feel if a gun that was once in your possession was used to hurt or kill somebody?”

Ms Smith said there is “no excuse” for not handing in your unregistered gun “now”, with 2500 illegal firearm-related incidents recorded across Victoria last year.

Originally published as ‘No excuse’: community urged to hand in illegal firearms