Following a TV One news item on Tuesday, Detective Senior Sergeant David Kirby of Whanganui police said there was nothing new in the investigation into the whereabouts of Brett Hall, whom police and family believe was killed two years ago.
Mr Kirby told the Chronicle yesterday that in 2011 inquiries had established two rifles - a .223 Ruger bolt action rifle with a black plastic stock, stainless steel barrel, a scope and a black shoulder strap, and a .22 semi-automatic rifle with a scope, black barrel, black stock (make unknown) - were missing from Mr Hall's Pitangi property on the Whanganui River.
The information about the two rifles came to light in 2011, when police asked if anyone knew their history or who may have sold a .223 fitting the description around the time in the Wanganui or Manawatu area, or someone who'd had one stolen.
"Establishing how this firearm and the .22 came to be at the Pitangi Track property will assist us in piecing together activity in the lead-up to Mr Hall's disappearance," Mr Kirby said.
"It is quite possible that these firearms were used in the murder of Mr Hall, so information about them could be critical."
