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An overview of firearms theft in Australia

An overview of firearms theft in Australia . Dr Jenny Mouzos Senior Research Analyst Manager, Crime Monitoring Program International Firearms Safety Seminar, 21-23 February 2006, Christchurch, New Zealand. Acknowledgements . APMC & SOG Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department

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An overview of firearms theft in Australia

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  1. An overview of firearms theft in Australia Dr Jenny Mouzos Senior Research Analyst Manager, Crime Monitoring Program International Firearms Safety Seminar, 21-23 February 2006, Christchurch, New Zealand

  2. Acknowledgements • APMC & SOG • Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department • Firearms Policy Working Group • Police services in all Australian states and territories • Gary Fleetwood, Australian Crime Commission • Seminar organisers: NZ Police, NZ Mountain Safety Council and the NZ Council of Licensed Firearms Owners

  3. Presentation overview • Background: National Firearms Agreement • Research aims and methodology • Overview of some key findings • Highlight important implications • Discuss future directions for policy and practice

  4. Firearms reforms: Background • Legislative reforms as a result of Port Arthur incident • Introduction of the National Firearms Agreement (May 1996): • Prohibition of self-loading rifles and self-loading and pump action shotguns • Nationwide licensing of firearms owners and registration of firearms • Genuine need and reason for owning, possessing or using a firearm • Safety training • 12-month amnesty and compensation scheme (firearms buyback) • Secure storage of firearms

  5. Firearms reforms: Background • Security and storage of firearms: • Category A & B firearms: • Stored in a locked receptacle constructed of either hardwood or steel • Category C, D & H firearms: • Stored in a locked, steel safe that is bolted to the structure of the building • All ammunition must be stored in locked containers separate from any firearms

  6. Firearms reforms: Background • Further directive from APMC that the AIC monitor the effects of legislative firearms reforms • AIC established National Firearms Monitoring Program (NFMP) in 1997 • Aim is to identify the immediate and longer term effects of the implementation of the new controls

  7. Research into firearms theft in Australia • Examined trends and patterns of firearms theft in Australia between 1994/95 and 1999/00 • Found that a total of 25,171 firearms were reported stolen to police during the six-year period • Average of about 4,195 firearms stolen per year • Over half of the firearms stolen were rifles (52%), followed by shotguns (21%), and handguns (14%) • Most were stolen from a residential premise (81%)

  8. Research into firearms theft in Australia • While the research provided first-time information on the incidence, types of firearms stolen, and the locations usually targeted in the theft of firearms, a number of questions were left unanswered

  9. Firearms theft in Australia: The unknown • What ‘we’ wanted to know: • Whether stolen firearms were secured/unsecured at the time of being stolen, and whether ammunition was also stolen; • Whether the theft was opportunistic, being conducted during a house break-in, or whether the firearm was targeted; • Details of the number of stolen firearms recovered by police and/or firearms owners; • Whether the stolen firearms were registered/unregistered and whether the firearms owners were licensed; and • Whether stolen firearms were used in crime

  10. Firearms theft in Australia: The unknown • The main overarching question ‘we’ wanted to know is how many firearms were being diverted into the illegitimate firearms market through theft? • Quantify to some degree the stockpile of illegal firearms

  11. Aims of the research • Provide a six-monthly snapshot of firearms theft in Australia, to aid policy makers, researchers, and practitioners in: • Making well-informed strategic decisions • Assessing, modifying and implementing legislative reforms • Monitoring trends in firearm theft over time • Facilitating timely and effective government responses to issues as they arise

  12. Firearms theft in Australia: Methodology • Data on all firearm theft incidents reported to police from 1 February 2004 to 31 July 2004 • Creation of a data collection form (template) where state and territory police fill in the details of each incident of firearms theft that occurred within the specified period

  13. Firearms theft in Australia: Methodology • Template captures information on the following: • Firearms taken (number, type, make, model, calibre, registration status) • Method of theft (location & premises type, modus operandi, other goods taken etc) • Use of stolen firearms in crime • Recovery of stolen firearms • Licensing status of owners, compliance with storage requirements, & charges laid against non-compliant owners

  14. Firearms theft in Australia Source: Australian Institute of Criminology, National Firearms Monitoring Program: Firearms Theft 1 February – 31 July 2004 [computer file]

  15. Quantification of risk • 478,326 licence holders in Australia • 0.07% of licence holders reported an incident of theft • 2,653,140 registered firearms in Australia • 0.02% reported stolen in a six-month period • Without data, risk cannot be quantified

  16. Type and category of firearms stolen Source: Australian Institute of Criminology, National Firearms Monitoring Program: Firearms Theft 1 February – 31 July 2004 [computer file]

  17. Characteristics of firearms stolen • 93% (n=616) stolen firearms were registered • Majority of the incidents of theft were reported to police by the registered owner (77%) • Almost two-thirds of thefts were reported to police either on the day of the theft or on the following day • A firearm had previously been stolen from the same location in six incidents • Only 12% (n=37) of firearms were recovered by police • Ammunition was stolen in just over a quarter of the incidents (26%)

  18. Location of firearms theft Excludes incidents where location is other (1%) or unknown (1%) Source: Australian Institute of Criminology, National Firearms Monitoring Program: Firearms Theft 1 February – 31 July 2004 [computer file]

  19. Nature of firearms theft • Over half of the incidents also involved the theft of other goods, such as audio/electrical equip. • Majority of these occurred at a residential premise • An average of three items were stolen per incident • Tools and force to gain entry into premises were more likely to be used for incidents where goods were stolen, than for incidents where only firearms were stolen • 71% of general burglaries involved the use of tools or force to gain entry compared with 42% for firearms only thefts

  20. Location of theft incidents, by whether other goods were stolen Excludes incidents where location is other (1%) or unknown (1%) Source: Australian Institute of Criminology, National Firearms Monitoring Program: Firearms Theft 1 February – 31 July 2004 [computer file]

  21. Compliance with safe storage requirements • Of the 318 incidents, 60% (n=192) involved the theft of firearms that were stored in accordance with legislative requirements • Compliance was significantly greater for thefts involving multiple firearms (78%) than single firearms (58%) • Most common methods used to access locked safes were ‘forced or jemmied open’ (45%), removal or theft of whole safe (12%), keys located and used (12%) or locks cut (10%)

  22. Compliance with safe storage requirements • In the incidents where ammunition was also stolen, 66% of these incidents involved the theft of ammunition stored in a locked safe • 43% (n=41) of non-compliant owners were charged • 55% (n=26) charged with ‘failing to secure a firearm’ • 6% (n=3) charged with ‘possession of an unregistered firearm’

  23. Firearm theft in Australia: Implications • Decline in incidence of firearms theft since last report in 1999/00 • Excludes the ‘dark figure’ of firearms theft • Snapshot is only for a six-month period • Overall risk is low, but still about 1,300 firearms are entering the illegitimate firearms market per year

  24. Firearm theft in Australia: Implications • Majority of incidents of firearms theft appear to be opportunistic as opposed to the targeted theft of firearms • Target hardening - monitor level of compliance (firearms audits) • Need for on-going education for firearms owners promoting the importance of securing firearms • SSAA campaign “Secure your gun, Secure your sport”

  25. Firearm theft in Australia: Future directions • Continued monitoring of the incidence, prevalence, nature of firearms theft, including level of compliance • Additional data on firearms theft collected from 1 August 2004 to 30 June 2005 – report in progress • Further research on firearms theft • ongoing collection of data

  26. Questions? Contact details: Dr Jenny Mouzos Senior Research Analyst Manager, Crime Monitoring Program Australian Institute of Criminology Ph: +61 2 6260 9250 Email: Jenny.Mouzos@aic.gov.au

  27. An overview of firearms theft in Australia Dr Jenny Mouzos Senior Research Analyst Manager, Crime Monitoring Program International Firearms Safety Seminar, 21-23 February 2006, Christchurch, New Zealand

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