Police 'delay' in responding to firearms theft

A Rotorua sports store manager robbed of more than 20 firearms has criticised police for taking nearly two hours to arrive after he dialled 111.

Outdoorsman Headquarters manager Bryan French said he rang 111 when he arrived at work before 8am yesterday and found the store had been broken into and the guns stolen, The Dominion Post newspaper reported today.

The thieves went through the roof of neighbouring Agri Quality, and smashed through the wooden wall dividing the two businesses.

They destroyed the lock on the gun room security door to steal more than 20 shotguns, rifles and air guns valued at more than $20,000. No ammunition was taken.

The store's alarm system had been disabled.

The newspaper reported that Mr French said he dialled 111 and the calls were answered by the Auckland-based police northern communications centre.

The second time he called the operator told him officers were responding to another call out and he would have to wait, he said. Police arrived at 10.15am, almost two hours after his first call.

"I told them (north communications) that I was very concerned that firearms had been stolen and the offenders may still be in the store.

"They told me the police were too busy and I would have to wait.

"Obviously the 111 system is still fraught with problems. It's not the fault of the Rotorua police, but does it mean that police can only attend one emergency at a time?"

The newspaper reported that Northern communications centre spokeswoman Phillipa White said transcripts showed Rotorua police had been asked to attend the sports store burglary at 8.09am and a police car was dispatched two minutes later.

However, within minutes the police car was redirected to a report of someone breaking into cars in the city. Officers then arrived at the Outdoorsman store at 9.56am, she said.

Detective Dennis Murphy said he believed the burglary was the first time for several years that a cache of firearms had been stolen in Rotorua.

"It is unusual and we are very concerned that these firearms may end up in the wrong hands," he said.

- NZPA