A SENATE inquiry into illegal firearms has been told only three per cent of the 500 guns stolen in Victoria in the past 12 months have been recovered.
The figure was presented to the inquiry – into the ability of Australian law enforcement authorities to eliminate gun-related violence – by Victorian Police.
Western Division Operational Support Superintendent Craig Gillard said about 80pc of the 500 guns stolen in Victoria last year had been taken from the west of the State.
And the Commander of the State's Anti-Gangs Division, Detective Superintendent Peter De Santo, told the inquiry the thefts coincided with firearm related violence in Melbourne's west.
"There was a significant spike across remote-rural locations of the thefts of those firearms, which corresponded with an escalation in firearm-related violence in our north-west metro region," Det Supt De Santo said.
Police told the inquiry some of the upsurge in crime was related to "ice".
Inquiry chair, South Australian Greens Senator Penny Wright, said the figure was "very alarming."
"It raises real concerns about who has the 97pc of guns which weren't recovered and what they are being used for," Senator Wright said.
Grazier organisations'/firearms training and safety associations had raised the issue of a lack of conformity on gun safes and storage, across Australia, she said.
"They are calling for simpler, but more uniform, regulations," she said.
"They also raised the issue you can currently buy advertised gun safes which don't meet the required standards and that is a problem.
"You have licenced gun owners, buying gun safes in good faith, and they may find they are in breach of the law, when inspections are carried out."
Senator Wright said it was likely the committee would look at tightening gun storage regulations.
"Some regulations still allow wooden storage boxes, which would appear to be inadequate," she said.
Both Senator Wright and Det Supt De Santo stressed most licenced gun owners acknowledged securing weapons properly and safely was fundamental.
"Victoria Police has a view that if you can take away the availability of the firearms – and I am not saying that they are going to try and cut back all the registered firearm holders in the State, but they are trying to keep reasonable numbers on it – then they will have more of a chance to deal with the illicit trade," Det Supt De Santo said.
Supt Gillard said Victoria Police would be watching the outcome of the Senate inquiry with interest.
"We don't yet know what will come out of the inquiry, but we await it with interest as it will assist in shaping our future direction and focus," he said.
"I think anything like this inquiry has a capacity to help."
A strong focus of police remained around crime prevention and any measures licenced firearm holders could take, had to be a bonus, he said.
Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) livestock president Ian Feldtmann said his group continually reinforced the message firearms needed to be locked away, in an appropriate gun safe.
"I believe the current legislation is sufficient, the criminal element will always find ways to break into gun safes to locate firearms and they can just as well break into a firearms store, or clubs," he said.
"But we would be open to any discussion with police – we have a great working relationship with Victoria Police and we will sit down and discuss all options put forward."
