Return of stolen firearm Victoria

Questions about Victorian gun and ammunition laws. Victorian Firearms Act 1996.

Return of stolen firearm Victoria

Post by Tiger650 » 24 Oct 2017, 7:54 pm

Possibly troubling situation regarding Vicpol and return of a stolen firearm.

Good bloke at work had his suburban shed broken into at least 2 yrs back and thieves took a bunch of stuff including his gun safe with a near new Weirhauch 97K air rifle inside.

Maybe a month back he received a call from Vicpol to tell him that the rifle had been handed in during the "amnesty".

The story told by the woman who handed it in was that her recently deceased husband had it, the uniform branch cop who spoke to Steve said it still looked to be in very good condition but "The Detectives" had taken it to check whether it had been used in any crime.

You would reckon it would take maybe 5 minutes to work out if anyone had been shot with a .22 cal air rifle but the Weihrauch is still missing in action and when the owner asks he gets no answers.

Steve is ex Malaysia and appears to be reluctant to argue with Coppers, being a cynical bloke I worry that given that the rifle is no longer registered in his name it may not be returned but rather disappear.

My gut feel is to tell him to grow some balls and front the local District Firearms Officer, IME they are generally good blokes.

Not wishing to be mistaken for Mother Theresa I shall explain my motives, Steve does not want to go to the bother of buying another safe so I would offer him a better price than a dealer, I already have a 97K but this one has iron sights.

Has anyone been through this process ?
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Re: Return of stolen firearm Victoria

Post by on_one_wheel » 24 Oct 2017, 9:29 pm

When they find stolen cars, they generally get returned.

A firearm shouldn't be any different.
It's his property and should be returned.

As a licensed firearms owner, you'd probably be able to act on his behalf with some very basic paperwork.
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Re: Return of stolen firearm Victoria

Post by pete1 » 24 Oct 2017, 9:57 pm

could contact someone like the Combined Firearms Council of Victoria seek advice, I would say it will be returned as it is registered in his name in the past.
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Re: Return of stolen firearm Victoria

Post by Oldbloke » 25 Oct 2017, 6:17 am

Yeah, go in with him and have a chat to the District Firearms Officer. It's his property.

Is there an ombudsman? If you need one?
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Re: Return of stolen firearm Victoria

Post by AusTac » 25 Oct 2017, 7:02 am

Vicpol has a nasty habit of past surrendered firearms showing up in the strangest places..
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Re: Return of stolen firearm Victoria

Post by Joeseb87 » 29 Oct 2017, 7:12 pm

Qld police had a firearm that got stolen from my father the officer said it was at the station for 10 years before he was even notified so I guess there is no real timeframe
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Re: Return of stolen firearm Victoria

Post by southeast varmiter » 30 Oct 2017, 5:14 pm

AusTac wrote:Vicpol has a nasty habit of past surrendered firearms showing up in the strangest places..

Wouldn’t happen to be in Tas in 96 perchance?
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Re: Return of stolen firearm Victoria

Post by huccl » 10 Nov 2017, 12:23 pm

I think it'll just come down to him putting in the effort to get it back. Not that he should have to, but it is what it is.

It's his, it was stolen, he's entitled to it back.

It won't be a high priority for them to get it back to him, he'll just need to stay on top of them and not let it go so long it's 'unclaimed' and they dispose of it.
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Re: Return of stolen firearm Victoria

Post by Bourt » 13 Nov 2017, 11:51 am

on_one_wheel wrote:A firearm shouldn't be any different.
It's his property and should be returned.


Even if it had been used in a crime I think this should be the case.

Obviously any investigation or use for it from the Police would have to be completely finished which is fair enough.

But at the end of the day it's his legal property.
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