Three men charged after allegedly breaking into a gun museum and taking off with dozens of rare weapons
Police have charged three men in the alleged theft of antique handguns from a regional museum.
Twenty-seven rare weapons were reportedly stolen from the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales in the early morning of August 25.
On Thursday, three men aged 46, 41 and 27 were arrested during police operations in NSW and taken to Nowra police station.
Police seized 13 of the 27 suspected stolen firearms, a shortened shotgun, a BMW X5, seven New South Wales vehicle registration plates, shotgun ammunition, $3,500 cash, electronic devices and small amounts of methamphetamine and cannabis.
The 46 and 27-year-old men were charged with two counts of aggravated burglary and committed a serious crime.
The 41-year-old man was charged with aggravated burglary, committing a serious crime, participating in a criminal group, contributing to criminal activity and stealing a motor vehicle.
They all appeared in Nowra District Court on Friday but were denied bail.
CCTV footage released by New South Wales police of the alleged theft showed display cabinets at the museum being smashed to remove the historically significant weapons, valued at more than $200,000.
Three men have been arrested after the alleged theft of 27 rare weapons from the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum in NSW
The weapons included a pistol donated by the Sultan of Oman and an 18th century pistol.
The weapons had been deactivated by the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum, but police allege the three men attempted to make firing pins to render the weapons usable.
Detective Chief Inspector John Watson, commander of the drugs and firearms squad, said: ‘There is no doubt that their sole purpose was to make a profit from selling these weapons.’
Of the 14 weapons still seized, Detective Chief Inspector Watson said: “There is information to suggest that these weapons have been moved.”
“We suspect that these firearms have been sold to citizens who are unaware that they have been stolen.”
The stolen weapons included a pistol gifted by the Sultan of Oman and an 18th century pistol.
“We are therefore asking the public to return these firearms as soon as possible,” said Chief Inspector Watson.
‘There is currently an amnesty in place in NSW for unregistered and prohibited firearms. This means that you will not be prosecuted if you return these firearms to a registered gun dealer or a police station.’
“Detectives are working hard to return the firearms we seized to the museum. Hopefully, the public can continue to visit the museum and learn more about the history of these handguns,” he said.
Speaking with 7 NewsKerry Guerin of the Lithgow Small Arms Factory asked anyone who had weapons to hand them in.
The 13 recovered weapons will undergo forensic examination before being returned to the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum
“Please don’t destroy them, they are part of our heritage and history,” he said.
The 13 weapons recovered will be forensically examined before being returned to the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum.
The museum opened in 1998 on the site of the former Lithgow Small Arms Factory, which was established in 1912.
It is community owned and volunteer managed, funded through entrance fees and shop sales.
The museum website states that it is ‘widely known for its extensive collection of modern firearms from around the world, but is above all a showcase of Australian manufacturing.’