RCMP concerned after 70+ guns stolen in break and enter

Dozens of guns stolen in a southeast Saskatchewan break-in could show up in later crimes, according to RCMP.

In the past six weeks, 77 prohibited and restricted handguns and rifles were stolen from a home outside of Storthoaks, which is in the southeast corner of the province.

According to RCMP, the owner is a master of firearms instructor with the Canadian Firearms Centre, so he was authorized to have the guns, and they were stored properly.

RCMP Superintendant Ken Kunetzki said RCMP are more concerned that the weapons are out there somewhere.

“These guns, when they’re stolen from break and enters as we’ve had here, they can show up at other crimes.”

Kunetzki compared it to a car which might be stolen and then be recovered when police are investigating a later offense.

RCMP are looking into whether this victim was targeted because of his collection.

Gun crimes have been on the rise in Canada, and Saskatchewan particularly. Between 2016 and 2017, Kunetzki quoted Statistics Canada saying there was a 30 per cent increase in gun crimes in Saskatchewan as a whole, and a 70 per cent increase in the RCMP’s areas which are mostly rural.

“When these weapons are out on the street, any type of weapon, it’s going to be concerning, it’s going to be concerning for the public, and we’re going to want to do everything we can to get those weapons back,’ said Kunetzki.

The superintendant said the weapons were stolen in Saskatchewan, but could show up anywhere across Canada, so RCMP have alerted police agencies across the country.