02 October 2007
An amnesty offered for the recovery of over 120 firearms illegally sold by a Coromandel collector expired on Sunday, two days after a fugitive wanted for shooting at Police was arrested in possession of two of the guns.
The man was arrested by armed Police in an apartment building in Auckland on Friday with two pistols in his possession.
Those pistols, Beretta and Glock 9mm automatics, were part of the haul Police allege the Coromandel collector illegally sold.
Two other guns from the collection have also been recovered by Police.
The missing firearms include 113 pistols, 2 Military Style Semi Automatic rifles and 6 sub machine guns.
They had been reported as stolen by the collector in a burglary of his Hot Water Beach home on July 28.
Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Nicholls of Waikato CIB said the discovery of three of the missing weapons in criminals hands confirmed Police fears the firearms would find their way on to the black market.
Though the amnesty has expired Mr Nicholls said Police were very keen to recover the weapons and would look at amnesty on a case by case basis.
"Our priority is to get these restricted weapons off the street," he said.
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