By ANEEKA SIMONIS
GUN-RELATED charges in Cardinia Shire have shot up by almost double in the past year.
In 2014-’15, police recorded 72 firearm-related offences, up 94 per cent on the previous 12-month period where 37 offences were detected.
The offences detected can relate to possession, unlawful use, trafficking or harbouring illegal firearms – though a breakdown was not provided in relation to the local findings.
Earlier this year, a Beaconsfield man narrowly escaped several bullets fired into his home in the night.
Two children and a female adult were home at the time of the attack which saw the front door, internal walls and a car parked in the home’s driveway sprayed with bullets.
Police also arrested four men in July over an alleged drive-by shooting involving a home on Duncan Drive in Pakenham.
Cardinia Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) Detective Senior Sergeant Trevor Smith said reports of firearm offences were taken “very seriously” within the department.
He said home-made or altered firearms – shortened in order to be better concealed – have been detected in the area.
The increase in firearm-related activity state-wide has got Victoria Police fired into action, recently announcing a new proactive taskforce to help disrupt the supply of firearms to organised criminal groups to prevent further shootings.
Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton said the team would have a strong intelligence capability which would ensure it had the capacity to identify trends along with cross-regional and cross-border linkages.
“Victoria Police knows tackling organised crime is a huge issue and we recognise a proactive approach is needed to ensure firearms are not falling into the hands of criminals,” he said.
“Identifying links between firearms thefts and organised crime groups will enable investigators to target those groups and disrupt their activities.
The City of Casey ranked second in Victoria for the most firearm charges between July 2014 and June 2015.
The crime data shows 226 gun-related charges were handed out in the nearby municipality over the 12-month period.
The City of Hume topped the list with 231 charges laid by police in 2014-’15, Brimbank came in third, with 225 and Greater Dandenong, fourth with 152 charges.
Statewide, police issued 3645 firearm-related offences.
Victoria Police’s pro-active illicit firearms investigations team will be based within the Purana Task Force.
