Tasmania tops nation for firearm thefts due to amounts of rural properties

Gun owners and criminals are both being targeted by lobbyists as alarming new figures show Tasmania is topping the nation – by nearly double – in firearm theft. Find out why>>

CALLS have emerged to further tighter gun storage requirements after Tasmania recorded the highest rate of firearms thefts of any state.

But the push for stricter firearms regulations by Gun Control Australia has been slammed by the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party who said responsibility rested with offenders.

A new report by the Australian Institute of Criminology, which showed 847 incidents of reported firearm theft happened Australia-wide in 2018, found Tasmania more than doubled the national theft rate.

Nationally there were 3.4 firearms incidents per 100,000 population in 2018, while Tasmania saw 8.1 incidents per the same population amount for that year.

The spike in incidents comes after the State Government in 2017 made changes to tighten storage requirements for firearms owners.

Roland Browne, Gun Control Australia’s vice president says there needs to be tighter storage requirements for firearm owners. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

But Tasmanian lawyer and Gun Control Australia vice president Roland Browne said more needed to be done.

“What needs to happen at a state and national level is a need for further tightening of storage requirements, as we’ve been calling for, such as electronic security for all firearms in homes,” he said.

In pointing to the firearm’s report, Mr Browne said gun thefts occurred most in rural Australian areas compared to metropolitan locations – evidence, he said, could suggest why Tasmania recorded the highest theft rate of any state.

Shooters Fishers and Farmers Tasmania chair and former police officer Wayne Turale said Tasmania had stringent firearms guidelines in place and said focus should be put on offenders who target guns.

SFF Tasmania chair Wayne Turale has called for changes to the way gun-related crimes are convicted.

“The way it is at the moment, is if you steal firearms, your conviction is recorded as burglary or stealing, with the stolen items not recorded,” he said.

“You could’ve been stealing tools out of the shed or items out of a car – it gives no specific tracking of offenders.

“What we would like to see is separate offences for people who actively target firearms so the court sees offenders for who they are.”

Tasmania Police’s latest Corporate Performance Report shows there were 57 incidents of firearms thefts in the first three months of 2020 – up from 36 incidents over the same period a year prior.

Tasmania Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Specialist Support Ian Whish-Wilson said the police force was “proactive” in dealing with all firearm-related crime, with offences involving firearms a current business priority.

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“Any illicit firearm is a concern to Tasmania Police. We take every opportunity to take illegal firearms off our streets by having a permanent firearms amnesty, carrying out random firearms storage inspections and investigating diligently when firearms incidents or thefts occur,” he said.

Police, Fire and Emergency Management Minister Mark Shelton said the state’s 2017 gun law changes “will further help prevent the theft of firearms”.

“Tasmania’s firearms laws are among the toughest in the world, and we are the only jurisdiction with a permanent firearms amnesty,” he said.

“Tasmania Police is proactive in dealing with all firearm-related crime and works in collaboration with other agencies to intercept and disrupt organised criminal activity.”