Bloomberg reported on thefts of firearms in Australia every four hours
At least 44.6 thousand registered firearms have been stolen over the past 20 years, which is equivalent to one unit every four hours. This was reported on December 16 by Bloomberg, citing a report by the Australian Institute published in September.
"Police have confirmed that the weapons used during the Bondi Beach shooting were legally stored. Nevertheless, the government needs to focus on measures to reduce the number of weapons in circulation," said Rod Campbell, one of the authors of the report.
According to the institute, thefts of firearms have become the main source of the illegal arms market in the country, which underscores the need to strengthen restrictive possession measures.
There are currently more than 4 million privately owned firearms registered in Australia. Data provided by the Australian Institute shows that police find and seize only about a quarter of stolen weapons, leading to a growing black market.
In August 2023, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission stated that, according to the most conservative estimates, there are up to 200,000 illegal firearms in the country.
On December 14, criminals opened fire on people near Bondi Beach in Sydney during an event dedicated to the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. It was noted that one of the shooters was shot dead, the second received medical attention. The third attacker surrendered to the police. The incident is classified as a terrorist attack. At least 1,000 people gathered on the beach at the time of the attack.
According to the latest information, 16 people became victims of the terrorist attack. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that among the victims of the terrorist attack there are Russian compatriots permanently residing in Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said he is ready to tighten the law on firearms trafficking.
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