INVESTIGATIONS into two burglaries in Lake Boga and Nyah West last week continue as Swan Hill police search for three firearms stolen from a property.
Police said the two incidents bore remarkable similarities, with motorcycle trailers also being stolen from the two properties between the evenings of September 5 and 6.
Swan Hill Acting Inspector Brian Hansen said three orange KTM dirt bikes had been stolen from a shed on Lakeside Drive, Lake Boga.
On the same day or the following evening another motorcycle trailer, which contained another two dirt bikes, was stolen.
“A motorcycle trailer containing a Yamaha YZ450 and a Honda CRF450R were taken from a property on Chillingollah Road, as well as an amount of fuel,” he said.
“But regarding the Lakeside Drive incident, it appears the offenders returned the following night, when a gun safe that contained three long arms was taken.
“I believe the guns included a shotgun and two air rifles – but the offenders haven’t just taken the firearms, they’ve taken the entire gun safe.
“The firearms were properly stored, the gun safe was bolted to the ground.
“They’ve clearly been quite determined to acquire these items and have unsecured and removed the entire gun safe.”
Insp Hansen said firearms were often targeted in thefts on rural properties.
“Farm crime and the theft of firearms from rural premises is unfortunately not uncommon in our region,” he said.
“There are often firearms that are stored in shedding and buildings that are well separated from the main dwelling on rural properties.
“Sometimes occupants may not even know that these areas of their property have been accessed.
“The unknown quantity here is that for whatever reason someone has seen fit to acquire firearms they should not have.
“Those reasons could be many and varied, but the disturbing question is, what is the intended use of these firearms? Were they intending to onsell these firearms?”
Insp Hansen said police were exploring whether the offenders had travelled to the area before the incident.
“Our efforts are leading us to believe that persons of interest are from outside of our local area,” he said.
“If anyone has any information that could assist police, they can call the station to speak with our CIU unit or contact Crime Stoppers.”
