Shotguns, rifles stolen in daytime house raid

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Whangarei police are concerned that nine firearms stolen in a burglary could get into the hands of criminals and want the public's help to catch the thieves.

Nine rifles or shotguns were stolen from a house in Northcroft Dr, Ngararatunua, between 9.45am and 12.30pm on Thursday after thieves smashed a window and cleaned out the home's gun cabinets, Whangarei police acting Senior Sergeant Stephanie Hudson said.

Some dive gear was also taken during the burglary, but it's believed the house may have been targeted because of the gun collection.

Guns stolen included a Remington 270 hunting rifle; Churchill 3006 hunting rifle; Huglu semi-automatic shotgun; Remington 1170 semi-automatic shotgun; Maytech semi-automatic .22 rifle; Russia Shot .22 rifle, Italian side-by-side shotgun with ducks carved into its wooden handle; a Remington Extremer semi-automatic camouflaged shotgun and an Escort semi-automatic shotgun.

Ms Hudson said police wanted to hear from anybody who had information about the burglary or who may have seen any suspicious people, activities or vehicles in the area around Northcroft Dr near the time of the burglary.

"It's important that we get these firearms off the street and out of the wrong hands," she said

Police figures show nearly 14,000 people hold firearm licences in the Northland police district. But there is no way of knowing how many guns are in circulation.

About 40 firearms were reported stolen in Northland in the last fiscal year to the end of June 2014. They included BB guns, air rifles, shotguns and high-powered rifles.

In some of the burglaries the firearms were targeted and in other burglaries they were taken among other items.

In a July burglary thieves smashed their way into a locked gun cabinet in a house at Kauri and stole a .22 rifle and a .45 lever-action gun, and some boxes of .45, .22 and 9mm ammunition.

In June a 12-gauge shotgun and a camouflaged semi-automatic 12-gauge shotgun were stolen during a burglary of a Dargaville home.

Stolen firearms are also regularly uncovered by police when they carry out drug busts in the region.