Huge arsenal of firearms discovered in Otahuhu

[LAH]

Police in south Auckland have discovered a huge arsenal of firearms at a house in Otahuhu.

Officers were called to a domestic incident last night after threats someone was going to be shot.
Inspector Lou Alofa says they found 45 high-powered rifles and shotguns, and several bags of live ammunition. He says a 70-year-old man will face a range of charges relating to the discovery.

The 45 firearms have been confiscated. It is a huge haul - to give some perspective, Napier gunman Jan Molenaar had an arsenal of 18 firearms.


I wonder if the owner had an expired FA license? It would take a lot of effort to obtain that many toys illegally

[JWB]

Huge firearms stash uncovered in Otahuhu
7:25 AM Thursday Dec 31, 2009

Police are alarmed by the discovery of a huge arsenal of weapons and ammunition in South Auckland last night.

About 45 high-powered rifles and shotguns were found at an Otahuhu property after police were called to a domestic incident about 9.30pm.

A 70-year-old man had allegedly made threats to use the weapons, police said.

Bags of live ammunition of compatible types and calibres were also found.

The firearms were seized and police were seeking to permanently confiscate the weapons.

A man was being questioned and would face a range of firearms charges.

- NZPA

Is this a real criminal, or some poor sod being persecuted by a bitch that he should have divorced years ago?

police were seeking to permanently confiscate the weapons.

This would suggest that the chap is a current license holder!

Whether the bloke nutted off, or not, it's another timely reminder of the police agenda, aided by the news media. Scare the public with a firearms story, taken out of context, without all the facts being made known.

[JayDee]

Yes _ much more detail is required before passing judgement - it does look like a relationship taken advantage of by other parties to create sensationalism ... IMHO

Note that specific charges have not yet been laid - we have no info on the licencing situation - or if the firearms were held lawfully and in security - for instance.

Nor the actual nature of the 'incident' leading to the Police visit - how many intemperate remarks have YOU heard from licenced owners?

One incident I am familiar with: A neighbour heard 'someone' yell - "If you f**k me over again: I will stab you with this screwdriver!" he rushed over to 'save' the Lady next door to find out the 'yeller' had been working upon the electric windows of his car (for several days!) and had finally laid it upon the line ... to the door ...

Imagine if the neighbour had simply reported the incident to the Police.

We much watch this one and carefully examine the actual evidence - and watch than, if he be licenced, one of our number does not arbitarily suffer a huge loss in an oppourtunist firearms seizure!

If the facts show the incident is as bad as painted - then the Law must take its course - of course ...

[bas]

Sounds like he's a licenced owner getting prosecuted under one of the provisions of the act (like making a threat with a firearm) rather than because of the number of firearms he owns.

I agree with JWB, this is a timely reminder to us all that if you find yourself in marital difficulties, move your guns out of house immediatly. All it will take is one phone call from a vindictive wife and the police will be over in a flash to collect them all.

[Jester]

Sounds like he's a licenced owner getting prosecuted under one of the provisions of the act (like making a threat with a firearm) rather than because of the number of firearms he owns.

I agree with JWB, this is a timely reminder to us all that if you find yourself in marital difficulties, move your guns out of house immediatly. All it will take is one phone call from a vindictive wife and the police will be over in a flash to collect them all.

+1 on that, never happened to me, but I have a mate who is currently holding guns for two guys in marital strife!

[Caerlonie]

Sounds like he's a licenced owner getting prosecuted under one of the provisions of the act (like making a threat with a firearm) rather than because of the number of firearms he owns.

I agree with JWB, this is a timely reminder to us all that if you find yourself in marital difficulties, move your guns out of house immediatly. All it will take is one phone call from a vindictive wife and the police will be over in a flash to collect them all.

Good advice.In the current climate,anyone in such circumatances should do just that.

[JayDee]

In this morning's ChCh Press there is a line not reported on the Web.

To Whit: "The firearms were correctly secured and public safety was not at risk, the Police said."

So this whole sensationalised mess boils down to - He is alleged to have said something intemperate and on the strength of that allegation his small, life-time, collection of firearms has been seized by Police ... who are already touting 'confiscation' before any charges have even been laid - let alone any court case even started!

This must be watched carefully as it has a stench of over-reaction about it. I trust that if he is a member of any shooting club or association that they will ensure arbitary 'confiscation' does not take place and that he recieves competent legal advice.

At 70 he has obviously been, until now, ajudged 'fit & proper' - for some considerable number of years and it is plain that there has been no 'armed incident' with the Police.

This must be watched carefully as it has repercussions for all of us with "Huge Arsenals" (two guns or more!) ... and those about us who could make 'allegations' ...

[second shooter]

Have the media ever used the term "low or even medium powered rifles and shotguns" how come it always "high power"?

another thing i need to find out is how many firearms makes an arsnel? how many rounds make a cache?

im a bit worried, yesterday a courier box arrived full of 400 once fired winchester 12ga hulls i bought on trade me, how many can i fill up before i have a "massive cache of ammunition"? and is my maverick 88 a "high powered shotgun"? is my saiga12 even more "high powered"?

PS happy new year! (except those muppets trying to ruin my sport and make my country suck)

[garywilk]

Hello and New years Greetings to all.

As it turns out, I have just gotten off the phone to this so-called felon who happens to be a very good friend of mine. Many of the posters have it exactly right in that the complainant (ent?) is an estranged family member who has a history of starting fights ... and then getting the bluecoats in to finish them for her.

That's right ... her.

Needless to say, I cannot go into detail, but I can say that this guy is a decent, sane and totally non-aggressive person who, like you and me, has an interest in (gasp, shock! Horror!) ... guns and shooting, so, needless to say, in this feminised and feminist, happy-clappy, no-one-must-ever-be-alarmed-or-offended-in-the-teeniest society, he is automatically a villain of the blackest hue.

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/arsenal ... se-3321048

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-storie ... rms-cache/

Like me, you will no doubt be interested in the way the reportage of this incident changed from the beginning of WWIII in the first reports to a "The firearms were correctly secured and public safety was not at risk, the Police said."

Amazing, innit? From domestic terrorism to a domestic dispute in a few short hours.

Which reminds me, one of the shops in the south had a special on Philippine-made .22 subsonics at $39 for 500, so I bought two bricks.

I guess that could be called a "Cache".

Whoops.

I will close in pointing out that the police visited my buddy TWICE. The first time, they satisfied themselves completely that everything was in order, all firearms secure ... and left. Everybody happy -- well, you know what I mean.

Then, and only then, did the complainant come up with a story that my friend had stated that he "had guns and would use them".

Result? A phone call to my friend's wife asking them to go down to the front of the property where they encountered four police cars (later six) and a crowd of uniformed police (several with holstered pistols). My friend's wife felt that this was a bit much and made the mistake of saying so.

Bad move.

All firearms and related kit were then demanded -- and confiscated -- and my friend was escorted to Otahuhu Station to make a statement, then to the Manukau Police Station and locked up for the night on the 30th December, and then the morning of the day (new years eve) he was locked up in the Manukau Court holding cells, and finally released yesterday afternoon.

That's the story so far ...

[JayDee]

Thank You for the 'heads-up' - please keep us informed and let us all know if there is any way we can help. So glad the hear it was not his wife - and she supports him (Police do sometimes take offence at feisty 'older' women!)

I say this from the point of view of someone who almost fell into the same problem - it was only an immeadiate conter-claim of malicious prosecution and a demand for a Blackmail charge against the complainant that gave me the bargaining position to get it resolved.
(The complainant had identified the WRONG person in my case!).

Get competent and firearms law savy legal advice for him - straight away.

[CT]

Poor guy, I hope he can get this mess resolved quickly

[second shooter]

the poor guy must be feeling like the system let him down(and it has) locked in the cells because someone claims you threatend to use a firearm.
many responsible shooters could be caught in this situation, what is the best course of action to take when the angry wife/neighbour/new girlfriends ex decides to lie to the police to get you in the s*it.
those of you with experience please let me/us know as this could happen to any of us !

[CT]

the poor guy must be feeling like the system let him down(and it has) locked in the cells because someone claims you threatend to use a firearm.
many responsible shooters could be caught in this situation, what is the best course of action to take when the angry wife/neighbour/new girlfriends ex decides to lie to the police to get you in the s*it.
those of you with experience please let me/us know as this could happen to any of us !

Co-operate with police and get a good lawyer.

Not much else you can do if they don't believe you didn't do what ever your accused of.

[JayDee]

1) Say very little to the Police until you have very competant legal representation - remember 'anything you say may be used against you' ... this can include demeanour and shows of anger (It can all be spun into 'not fit and proper').

2) Be as calm as possible - assist the Police with removing the firearms - provide keys etc. BUT make sure you have a full list of every single firearm, round of ammo and any other items seized. Insist upon a detailed recepit - get a lawyer present for this if at all possible.

3) Remain calm at all costs - anything else just digs the hole deeper - and ensures another 'gun grab'.

4) Remember that 'chatty' Policeman is trying to get something - anything - from you that can be used to their advantage in any subsequent court action. Keep your anger under control ... and keep your mouth shut!

In the UK and Canada major firearms organisations have organised Insurance to cover events like this - perhaps it is something we may soon need here?

[Caerlonie]

What we mainly need here is a little more common sense in such matters.All it is,is an accusation on her part.