A 44-year-old man from Mango Hill has been arrested and charged after allegedly stealing eight rifles and ammunition from a storage unit in Lawnton.
Police were first alerted to the missing firearms on 4 December when a resident of Bowen Hills reported that their registered firearms had been stolen. Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) in Fortitude Valley and Carseldine launched Operation Owen to investigate the theft.
Their investigations revealed that sometime between 1 November and 4 December, a man had broken into a gun safe at the Bowen Hills address, stealing the firearms and ammunition.
Police located and arrested the 44-year-old suspect in Caboolture South on 18 December. A search of a storage unit in Lawnton allegedly uncovered the stolen firearms and ammunition, along with stolen power tools and a quantity of methylamphetamine.
The Mango Hill man was charged with several offences, including entering premises and committing an indictable offence, unlawful possession of weapons, offences relating to unauthorised explosives, possessing dangerous drugs, and possessing tainted property.
He appeared before the Brisbane Magistrates Court on December 20th and was remanded in custody.
Detective Inspector John Mison stated that this case highlights the importance of responsible firearm ownership. He stressed that all firearm licence holders must be vigilant about firearm security and regularly check their storage to ensure their weapons are safe. Detective Inspector Mison urged the community to report any suspicious activity to the police immediately.
He also highlighted Operation Owen’s ongoing efforts, which have successfully removed 49 firearms from circulation in North Brisbane this year. North Brisbane police remain committed to community safety and will continue to target illegal firearm offences through Operation Owen.
Published Date 23-December-2024
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