A man has been charged and a shotgun seized following an investigation into the theft of firearms and ammunition from a rural property in the state’s Northwest Slopes region.
About 10am Saturday 3 August 2019, officers attached to New England Police District received reports several firearms and ammunition had been stolen from a safe at a property near Warialda.
Officers from the Rural Crime Prevention Team commenced an investigation into the matter and recovered a shotgun during a search warrant at a home on Railway Parade at Gravesend on Thursday 15 August 2019.
On Monday 19 August 2019, police executed a second search warrant at a home on Hope Street at Warialda where a round of ammunition and parts of a spotlight were seized.
About 7pm yesterday (Thursday 29 August 2019), Rural Crime Investigators arrested a 22-year-old man at Warialda in relation to the offence.
He was later charged at the Inverell Police Station with break, enter and steal; and use, supply stolen firearm or firearm part.
The man was granted conditional bail to appear before Inverell Local Court Thursday 12 September 2019.
“This shows what can be done when members of the community talk to their local police in relation to rural crimes,” State Rural Crime Coordinator, Detective Inspector Cameron Whiteside said.
“We are committed to recovering the other two firearms that remain in the community.
“Please ring Crime Stoppers as we want to know what you know, not necessarily who you are.”
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or . Information is treated in strict confidence.
