> MEDIA RELEASE July 25 2001
> FIREARMS ARE SAFER AT HOME!
> Firearm owners claimed today that the theft of 14 handguns from a
> Queensland shooting club had demonstrated “the ignorant folly” of the
> campaign by anti-gun groups for firearms to be stored in gun clubs or
> central repositories.
>
> Shooters Party MLC John Tingle said the constant claim of the
> anti-gunners had been that central storage of guns, in repositories and
> clubs, rather than in the homes of their licensed owners would keep the
> guns safe and out of harm’s way. Mr Tingle said Sunday night’s theft of
> 14 semi-automatic pistols from a club south of Brisbane, had shown just
> how silly and uninformed this argument was.
>
> “We have tried again and again to explain that central storage of guns
> just creates a supermarket for criminals.” he said. “The concentration
> of large numbers of firearms in the one place allows the criminal who
> breaks into that place a wonderful opportunity to pick and choose the
> best. This is illustrated in the Queensland incident, where the thieves
> stole high quality handguns, including Smith and Wessons, Glocks and
> Rugers. What those efficient, concealable guns are going to be used for
> now, is anybody’s guess – but one thing is certain; and that is that
> they’re in the hands of criminals, to be used in crime, or even
> terrorist activities during the CHOGM meeting in Brisbane in October.”
>
> The firearms were stolen after the club had closed up on Sunday night,
> and even though they had been stored in a locked strong-room, it is
> reported that the thieves broke in through a rear door, and forced their
> way into the strong-room.
>
> “With our present rules about safe storage, legally owned guns are
> secured in locked safes in the homes of their legal owners, scattered
> throughout the community” Mr Tingle said. “Usually a thief has no way
> of knowing which guns a particular firearm owner has; and if the thief
> does succeed in breaking into a house, he then has to try to force a
> substantial safe, not knowing whether it will ultimately be worth his
> while, or not. It would take weeks or months to acquire the sort of
> firearms that were stolen in Brisbane in a matter of minutes.”
>
> Mr Tingle claimed that by campaigning to have guns left locked in
> unattended club houses, or central repositories, the anti-gun element
> were showing massive ignorance of the facts of safe storage; and, if
> their campaign succeeded, they would put the community at greater
> risk. Statistically, the greater numbers of firearm thefts occurred in
> places where large numbers were kept, including defence establishments,
> police stations and security organisations.
>
> “Thankfully, Governments have had the good sense to reject the central
> repository idea” he said “and this dangerous and worrying theft should
> knock the idea on the head for good. Licensed firearms owners are
> responsible for their registered firearms, and the safest place for
> those firearms to be stored, when not in use, is in the homes of their
> owners.”
> Contact: John Tingle Parliament House 9230 3059
>
>