Police encourage residents to hand in illegal weapons at firearms amnesty drive in Tassie’s south
Police are encouraging residents in possession of illegal weapons to attend this weekend’s firearms amnesty drive in Tasmania’s south, reassuring locals they will not be prosecuted. AMNESTY DRIVE DETAILS >>
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A FIREARMS amnesty drive in Tasmania’s south this weekend will highlight a permanent policy in the state where people can surrender unwanted or illegal firearms without the fear that they may be prosecuted.
An amnesty will take place at Bridgewater’s Greenpoint Shopping Precinct on Saturday where people can hand in firearms, ammunition, and gel blasters that imitate firearms.
Tasmania Police Senior Sergeant Jason Klug said people could hand in the items without fear of being prosecuted for possession.
“Every illicit firearm in the community is a concern to Tasmania Police, and I encourage anyone with one to hand them in,” he said.
Tasmania Police has a permanent firearms amnesty and regularly conducts mobile amnesties across the state.
This Saturday, the state is participating in the national amnesty.
Police said when a person was attending a mobile amnesty to surrender a firearm or ammunition, they were asked to drive to the location, leave the items in their car and walk up and speak to officers on site who will retrieve the items.
“Anyone unable or uncomfortable to take items to the amnesty, can attend the location and speak to officers, or phone their local police station, and police will organise collection from a private residence,” Senior Sergeant Klug said.
“Between July and September, Crime Stoppers are conducting a National Illegal Firearms Campaign, aimed at reducing the number of unwanted, unregistered and illegal firearms in the community by encouraging people to hand in firearms.”
Police said anyone who had information about illegal firearms in the community was encouraged to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers Tasmania anonymously online at crimestopperstas.com.au or on 1800 333 000.
Massive gun and drug haul in Tassie’s north
Wednesday, June 30
THE LAUNCESTON firearms taskforce has seized a haul of firearms, ammunition as well as cannabis that was being grown in an underground bunker, with one man charged police warn more arrests are expected to follow.
Detective Inspector Craig Fox said the firearms included rifles, semi automatic firearms and pistols and were seized from multiple residences.
“We found them behind doors, we found them in false flooring, we found them in false walls, we found them in the bush in containers,” Detective Inspector Fox said.
Police say 21 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, drugs and stolen property were seized during searches of two Longford properties.
Detective Inspector Fox said four hidden bunkers were found on one of the properties, one under the house and the others in the scrub, and been installed some time ago.
“Anyone that is going to go the extent of hiding a bunker on a property or in a house is going to make it fairly well concealed,” he said.
The two addresses on Pateena Rd near Longford were searched on Thursday and Friday.
Over 30 police were involved in the targeted searches, from Launceston CIB, Northern Drug Investigation Service, Serious and Organised Crime Division, uniform police Northern Forensics, drone pilots, search and rescue police as well as SES volunteers.
A Longford man was arrested and charged yesterday with a string of offences.
They include:
- Possess a firearm to which a firearms licence may not be issued
- Possess a firearm when not the holder of a firearms licence
- Possess ammunition when the holder of a licence
- Unlawful possession of property
- Cultivate/Possess controlled plant
The 40-year-old has been bailed to appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court on 18 August.
“We’ve now taken 55 guns off the streets in Northern Tasmania in the last several weeks,
“It is concerning that there is that many guns out there, but this was specifically what we were targeting,” Detective Inspector Fox said.
“We knew that if we target gun crime and guns and put a specific team on that we would seize a lot of firearms.”
Since the taskforce was formed in April after a spate of gun related crime, police have conducted nearly 60 search.
Of the 15 firearm related incidents since the start of the year, offenders have been charged for about a third of the incidents.
In most recent incidents, a shot was fired into the rear window of a home in Invermay at about 1am on Friday and about three hour a shot was fired in the front window of St Leonards home.
They are not believed to linked and police investigations are continuing.
Detective Inspector Fox said the taskforce had been successful and there were no plans to stop it.
“It’s working, we’re receiving information from the public regularly which is what we are after, and we hope that continues so we can continue to take more guns off the streets,” he said.
“What we’ve seen is that had a significant reduction in the incidents that were happening at the start of the year.”
Car crash in North Tasmania
Update - 2:22pm, Wednesday June 30
A male driver has been transported to Launceston General Hospital with injuries. Rosevears Drive at Lanena is now clear.
2:15pm - Wednesday, June 30
One person has been injured following a single car crash at Lanena in Tasmania’s north. The accident occured on Rosevears Drive around 2pm. Police are at the scene and are urging drivers to avoid the area until the road is clear.
Teen sentenced for takeaway robbery
Tuesday, June 29
A TEENAGER has been sentenced after robbing a takeaway shop at knifepoint in the Launceston suburb of Riverside.
The court heard the male, who can’t be named for legal reason, was wearing a mask and dark clothing when he entered the store on the West Tamar Highway in Riverside on November 10, 2020.
The teenager, then aged 17, produced a knife and ordered the 59-year-old shop attendant, who was alone in the shop at the time, to produce the contents of the till.
He became agitated and swore at her before she handed over $250 in cash.
A jury found him guilty of the armed robbery.
In sentencing Justice Robert Pearce said the whole matter had been captured on CCTV and the only issue during the trial was if it was the defendant.
The teenager has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and has a low IQ associated with intellectual disability.
Justice Pearce sentenced him to three years under the Youth Justice Act.
He said the seriousness of armed robbery was from the devastating impact it has on victims and during the victim’s call to triple-0 it was apparent she was “terrified and traumatised by the ordeal.”
Justice Pearce said his substance abuse and mental health were factors.
The court heard he had previously attempted an armed robbery in similar circumstances, and had further stealing offences.
He will be eligible for parole one day after serving half the term.
Glenorchy unit fire
9:33pm – Tuesday, June 29: Multiple police and fire crews are at the scene of a unit fire in Glenorchy. Emergency services arrived to find the Kensington Street property near Hungry Jacks well alight. Drivers and members of the public are being urged to avoid the area as smoke billows from the home.
The cause of the fire is not believed to be suspicious.
Armed man taken into custody on the Bass Highway
1:53pm – Tuesday, June 29: A 31-year-old Somerset man has been taken into custody after he attempted to interfere with vehicles stuck in traffic near roadworks on the Bass Highway this afternoon.
The man allegedly armed with scissors approached vehicles on the roadway at Leith around 1:52pm before he was taken into custody and transported to the North West Regional Hospital. It’s believed the incident was mental-health related.
Tasmania police are urging anyone who may have seen the man before their arrival at the scene to contact Devonport Police Station on 6478 4011 or 131 444.
Bass Highway Crash
Update: 6:45pm – Monday, June 28: The crash scene on the Bass Highway at Lillico has been cleared and traffic conditions have returned to normal.
5:29pm – Monday, June 28: Emergency services are at the scene of a crash on the Bass Highway at Lillico, north west of Devonport.
Tasmania Police have released a statement saying no serious injuries have been reported.
Drivers should expect delays with west bound traffic reduced to one lane.
Rian two-vehicle crash
Update: 5:56pm – Monday, June 28: The crash scene at Riana has been cleared and traffic conditions have returned to normal.
4:45pm – Monday, June 28: Westpac’s rescue helicopter has been called to the scene of a two vehicle crash in the small town of Riana in Tasmania’s North West.
The collision happened at the intersection of Fabers and Pine Roads with police urging drivers to avoid the area until the scene is cleared.
Details of injuries aren’t known at this stage.
Fire crews called to submarine on Hobart waterfront
8am – Monday, June 28: Tasmanian fire and rescue crews were called to Hobart’s waterfront after reports of a fire inside a submarine.
It’s believed the small fire originated in the switchboard of the HMAS Rankin and was quickly extinguished.
Icy Road warning – Monday, June 28
Motorists are warned to take care this morning after the weather bureau issued a road weather alert for parts of Tasmania.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, icy road conditions are expected this morning in parts of the North West Coast, Central North, North East, Central Plateau and Midlands forecast districts.
A Road Weather Alert for icy roads has been issued for northern and central #Tasmania. A combination of cold temperatures and recent rainfall could lead to pockets of "black ice" tomorrow morning. Check the latest warnings at https://t.co/NHL3HY0zFOpic.twitter.com/oslnow0tkR
— Bureau of Meteorology, Tasmania (@BOM_Tas) June 27, 2021
“A combination of cold temperatures and recent rainfall could lead to pockets of “black ice” tomorrow morning,” a BOM statement said.
BOM warns the ice will “make driving conditions dangerous.”
There are currently no road closures related to this weather event.
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