Police have charged three men with the alleged theft of antique handguns from a regional museum.
Twenty-seven rare weapons were allegedly stolen from the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum in the Central Tablelands region of NSW early in the morning of August 25.
On Thursday, three men aged 46, 41 and 27, were arrested in police raids across NSW and taken to Nowra Police station.
Police seized 13 of the 27 allegedly stolen firearms, a shortened shotgun, a BMW X5, seven NSW vehicle registration plates, shotgun ammunition, $3,500 cash, electronic devices and small amounts of methamphetamine and cannabis.
The 46 and 27-year-old men were charged with two counts of aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence.
The 41-year-old man was charged with aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence, participate criminal group contribute criminal activity and steal motor vehicle.
They all appeared before Nowra Local Court on Friday and were refused bail.
CCTV video released by NSW Police of the alleged theft revealed display cabinets at the museum being smashed to remove the historically significant guns worth more than $200,000.
Three men have been arrested after the alleged theft of 27 rare weapons from the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum in NSW
The weapons included a pistol gifted by the Sultan of Oman and one from the 1700s.
The guns had been made inoperable by the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum, but police allege the three men were attempting to manufacture firing pins to make the guns operable.
Detective Superintendent John Watson, Commander of Drug and Firearms Squad said, ‘There is no question that their sole purpose was to make profit from the sale of these guns.’
Of the 14 guns still to be recovered, Detective Superintendent Watson said, ‘There is information to suggest that these guns have been moved on.’
‘We believe these firearms may have been sold to members of the public who aren’t aware they are stolen.’
The stolen weapons included a pistol gifted by the Sultan of Oman and one from the 1700s
‘Due to this, we are asking those members of the public to return these firearms as quickly as they can,’ Detective Superintendent Watson said.
‘NSW currently has an amnesty in place for unregistered and prohibited firearms meaning you will not be prosecuted for returning these firearms to a registered firearms dealer or Police Station.’
‘Detectives are working hard to return the firearms we did seize to the museum with the hope the public can continue to visit and learn about the history of these handguns,’ he said.
Speaking to 7 News, Kerry Guerin from the Lithgow Small Arms Factory implored anyone in possession of the weapons to hand them in.
The 13 recovered weapons will be forensically examined before being returned to the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum
‘Please don’t destroy them, they are part of our of our heritage and history,’ he said.
The 13 recovered weapons will be forensically examined before being returned to the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum.
The museum opened in 1998 on the site of the former Lithgow Small Arms Factory that was established in 1912.
It is community owned and managed by volunteers and funded through admissions and shop sales.
The museum’s website states it is ‘is widely recognised for its comprehensive collection of modern firearms from around the world, but more than that, it is a showcase of Australian manufacturing.’
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