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Firearm Theft in Australia 2007-08

NCJ Number
229820
Author(s)
Samatha Bricknell
Date Published
2009
Length
45 pages
Annotation
Results are presented on all incidents of firearm theft reported to police in Australian States and territories for 2007-2008.
Abstract
Highlights of key findings from the report include: 1) a total of 1,712 firearms were stolen in 708 reported incidents of firearm theft in 2007-2008; 2) rifles accounted for the majority (55 percent) of all reported stolen firearms followed by shotguns at 24 percent; 3) 95 percent of firearms reported stolen were registered, the majority of which were registered to a private owner; 4) 92 percent of firearm owners who reported a theft in 2007-2008 held a valid firearm license for the firearms they reported stolen; 5) three-quarters of firearm thefts were reported by the owner of the stolen firearms; 6) the majority of thefts (87 percent) followed an unlawful entry of premises or a vehicle; 7) ammunition was stolen in one-quarter of incidents of firearm theft; 8- in 57 percent of incidents, firearms stolen had been stored in a firearm safe or otherwise approved receptacle; 9) one-quarter of firearm owners were again found to be in breach of firearm laws and regulations; 10) firearms were recovered from 13 percent of thefts and were returned to owners in 41 percent of these cases; 11) 4 percent of theft locations had been the site of previous firearm thefts; and 12) firearms stolen in just 7 (or 2 percent of) firearm-theft incidents were known to have been used in the commission of a subsequent offense. Tables, figures, references, and appendixes