A massive arsenal of more than 200 weapons have been seized from a ‘high-risk’ former prison guard.
Michael Kay, who worked in Sydney prisons for 30 years, was banned from owning a gun nine years ago due to poor mental health but managed to accumulate 213 weapons.
The cache including semiautomatic guns, knives, swords and 2000 rounds of ammunition, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Mr Kay was responsible for breaking up jail riots and extreme violence as a member of the prison tactical Immediate Action Team before leaving in 2010.
Police have seized more than 200 weapons (pictured) from Michael Kay, a ‘high-risk’ former prison guard
A routine firearms prohibition order search brought police officers to the 64-year-old’s home in Richmond, Sydney’s north west
Mr Kay (pictured), who worked in Sydney prisons for 30 years, was responsible for breaking up jail riots and extreme violence as a member of the prison tactical Immediate Action Team
A State Intelligence Command profile of the former prison guard revealed he suffered from a history of mental health issues and an obsession with weapons.
A routine firearms prohibition order search brought police officers to the 64-year-old’s home in Richmond, in Sydney’s north west.
They were not expecting, however, to find the military-grade arsenal hidden away in his shed on Tuesday.
Officers seized several military-grade rifles including an SKS automatic, a .357 Magnum revolver, a 9mm Luger and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
They also found three crossbows with more than 100 arrows, knives, tomahawks and swords.
Mr Kay collected a substantial amount of telling literature related to sniper training, military tactics and counter-terrorism operations.
Mr Kay also owned clothing with anti-Islamic sentiments and ‘doomsday’ patches embroidered
A State Intelligence Command profile of the former prison guard revealed he suffered from a history of mental health issues and an obsession with weapons
Officers from the Drugs and Firearms squad said the alarming finding was unlike any other case and there were concerns he could have been planning a mass shooting
Officers found three crossbows with more than 100 arrows, knives, tomahawks and swords
He also owned clothing with anti-Islamic sentiments and ‘doomsday’ patches embroidered.
Officers from the Drugs and Firearms squad said the alarming finding was unlike any other case and there were concerns he could have been planning a mass shooting.
State Crime Commander Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said the findings posed a significant threat to the community.
‘What we found at the premises was a disturbing individual who had a cache of tactical weapons and 50 times the ammunition required of a sports shooter, and concerning literature,’ he said.
‘As we were itemising the exhibits, we realised the potential of what was in that yard.’
State Crime Commander Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said the find (pictured) posed a significant threat to the community
Police were tipped off by Australian Border Force officers two weeks ago when Mr Kay made numerous online transactions in a short period, including gun parts and bulletproof clothing (pictured is seized ammunition)
Det Supt Smith said: ‘He amassed such a huge cache of weapons you can only interpret what you find and be concerned by that’ (pictured is a seized crossbow)
Mr Kay has faced court twice for charges related to firearms since his license was revoked in 2009 but was not penalised due to mental health (pictured are some of the seized weapons)
Det Supt Smith said part of the problem was that the weapons are not available in Australia.
‘He amassed such a huge cache of weapons you can only interpret what you find and be concerned by that,’ he said.
Police were tipped off by Australian Border Force officers two weeks ago when Mr Kay made numerous online transactions in a short period, including gun parts and bulletproof clothing.
Mr Kay has faced court twice for charges related to firearms since his license was revoked in 2009 but was not penalised due to mental health.
Mr Kay was arrested and taken to Windsor Police Station before being admitted into hospital due to mental health.
Police expect to charge him when he is released from hospital.
Officers seized several military-grade rifles including an SKS automatic, a .357 Magnum revolver, a 9mm Luger and thousands of rounds of ammunition (pictured, left, right, are two of the guns seized)
Mr Kay was arrested and taken to Windsor Police Station before being admitted into hospital due to mental health (pictured is seize ammunition
Police expect to charge Mr Kay when he is released from hospital (pictured, left, right are two of the gun seized)