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http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25158454-2,00.html
Guns outnumber people in suburbs
By Rhett Watson
The Daily Telegraph
March 09, 2009 12:01am
GUNS now outnumber people in some areas of NSW as the latest Firearms Registry figures show alarming local spikes in weapon numbers, including in Sydney's crime hotspot suburbs
.A Daily Telegraph investigation into the steadily growing NSW firearms stockpile shows suburbs such as Auburn, Bankstown, Chester Hill, Bligh Park, Surry Hills and Kellyville have all significantly increased their guns in just three years.
Gun lobby experts put some of the growth down to dealers and distributors registering new stock - but in many cases there is no explanation other than strong growth.
In country localities such as Rylstone and Geurie in the state's Central West and Bendemeer in the Northern Tablelands there are more guns than people. Rylstone, population 798 in the most recent census, has 1276 firearms in the postcode.
Statewide, registered firearms have increased from 650,185 in May 2005 to 687,200 as of December 30.
The most recent count shows the state's gun stockpile includes 489,348 rifles, 61,767 single barrel shotguns, 49,818 side-by-side single barrel shotguns, 37,273 under and over double barrel shotguns, 24,468 pistols and 13,307 revolvers.
There were even 9 walking stick, or cane, guns registered.
A postcode breakdown of ownership figures as of June 30 shows the growth to be strong in certain localities, sometimes many hundreds of per cent.
The gun capital of metropolitan Sydney is Bligh Park in Sydney's west, home to 4728 firearms in the postcode 2756, up 14 per cent in three years.
In Sydney's southwest, registered firearms in Auburn have risen sharply by more than 300 per cent to 2552, due to a new dealer.
At Bankstown firearms are up 73 per cent to 2804 while at nearby Chester Hill the increase is 80 per cent, up to 2777. At Horsley Park, the number of guns has risen from 2983 to 4498, dwarfing the official population of 1812, but much of this is registrations by the Horsley Park Gun Shop.
Other places with big increases include Tamworth, up 25 per cent, Singleton (19 per cent) Gulgong (108 per cent), Young (27 per cent), and Queanbeyan, (18 per cent). Moss Vale is home to more firearms than anywhere else in the state.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25158454-2,00.html
Guns outnumber people in suburbs
By Rhett Watson
The Daily Telegraph
March 09, 2009 12:01am
GUNS now outnumber people in some areas of NSW as the latest Firearms Registry figures show alarming local spikes in weapon numbers, including in Sydney's crime hotspot suburbs
.A Daily Telegraph investigation into the steadily growing NSW firearms stockpile shows suburbs such as Auburn, Bankstown, Chester Hill, Bligh Park, Surry Hills and Kellyville have all significantly increased their guns in just three years.
Gun lobby experts put some of the growth down to dealers and distributors registering new stock - but in many cases there is no explanation other than strong growth.
In country localities such as Rylstone and Geurie in the state's Central West and Bendemeer in the Northern Tablelands there are more guns than people. Rylstone, population 798 in the most recent census, has 1276 firearms in the postcode.
Statewide, registered firearms have increased from 650,185 in May 2005 to 687,200 as of December 30.
The most recent count shows the state's gun stockpile includes 489,348 rifles, 61,767 single barrel shotguns, 49,818 side-by-side single barrel shotguns, 37,273 under and over double barrel shotguns, 24,468 pistols and 13,307 revolvers.
There were even 9 walking stick, or cane, guns registered.
A postcode breakdown of ownership figures as of June 30 shows the growth to be strong in certain localities, sometimes many hundreds of per cent.
The gun capital of metropolitan Sydney is Bligh Park in Sydney's west, home to 4728 firearms in the postcode 2756, up 14 per cent in three years.
In Sydney's southwest, registered firearms in Auburn have risen sharply by more than 300 per cent to 2552, due to a new dealer.
At Bankstown firearms are up 73 per cent to 2804 while at nearby Chester Hill the increase is 80 per cent, up to 2777. At Horsley Park, the number of guns has risen from 2983 to 4498, dwarfing the official population of 1812, but much of this is registrations by the Horsley Park Gun Shop.
Other places with big increases include Tamworth, up 25 per cent, Singleton (19 per cent) Gulgong (108 per cent), Young (27 per cent), and Queanbeyan, (18 per cent). Moss Vale is home to more firearms than anywhere else in the state.
