Region 5 firearms office Senior Constable Steve Foster is warning licensed firearms holders to store their guns securely and within the requirements of the Firearms Act 1996.FIREARM licence holders are failing to store their guns safely, according to local police.
Region 5 police have been conducting the Statewide Firearms Storage Inspection Project since July.
But regional firearms office Senior Constable Steve Foster said a number of licensed firearm holders were failing to store their weapons safely and correctly.
All firearm licence holders who own firearms can expect a visit from their Regional Firearms Officer or local police in the near future, he said.
“Firearm owners should be aware that breaches of the storage requirements are offences that carry heavy penalties and may result in the suspension or cancellation of their firearm licence,” Sen Con Foster said.
“Any firearms found to be stored in contravention of the Firearms Act will be seized, and depending on the outcome at court they may be destroyed.”
The requirement to store firearms securely has been in force since 1988 for long arm firearms, and the type of storage required for different categories of firearms was further outlined in 1996 when the Firearms Act of 1996 was introduced.
“A booklet outlining the changes to the Firearms Act 1996 and the required storage was mailed to every firearm licence holder in Victoria,” Sen Con Foster said.
“Since 1988 firearm licence applicants have also had to sit a firearm safety course and law test in which they are required to answer correctly the proper storage requirements to pass the course.”
The storage requirements can be found on the Victoria Police website, www. police.vic.gov.au.
Sen Con Foster said firearm licence holders should store their firearms and ammunition in line with regulations, or face harsh penalties.
“We will not tolerate improper storage, or attempts by licence holders to delay our inspections,” he said.
