Gun Crime on the Rise in Auckland: Illegally Owned Firearms a Major Concern

Gun crime has seen a significant spike in Auckland, with illegally owned firearms being a major contributing factor to this trend. According to recent data released through the Official Information Act, there were 879 firearms offences committed across Auckland in the first six months of this year, up 28 from the same time in 2023.

Despite only 18 of these offences being carried out by individuals with an active firearms licence, the vast majority of those reported incidents involved illegally owned guns. The South Auckland suburb of Manurewa had the most reported firearms offences in the first six months of this year, with 102 reported, up by 11 offences from 2023.

The situation is not unique to Auckland, as gun crime has seen a nationwide increase. Hamilton dairy owner Manish Thakkar knows all too well the impact of gun crime. He was held at gunpoint during a robbery in 2023, where one of the offenders threatened to shoot him with a shotgun.

“It was terrible,” Thakkar said. “I’d never seen such incidents in my life.”

Waikato bottle store owner Ash Parmar expressed similar concerns about the threat of gun crime looming over business owners. “We have deep sympathies for the wider public which is facing threats from these criminals who are using guns,” he said.

The executive director of the Firearms Safety Authority, Angela Brazier, acknowledged that keeping track of guns in the community could be a challenge. “The firearms investigation team, half of their investigations are where a licence holder has diverted a firearm to an unlicensed person, so a criminal or a gang member.”

A proposed solution being explored is the introduction of a firearms registry, which would help keep guns out of the hands of those who should not have them. The registry would provide frontline police with real-time information about the ownership and location of firearms, allowing them to make more informed risk assessments.

Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee stated that part of her job was to develop legislation to improve public safety. “It is well known that gang members and criminals generally do not adhere to legislation,” she told RNZ.

“We tackle the illegal possession and use of firearms by utilising consequences to non-compliance within the Arms Act but also by using other legislation like the Crimes Act as an example.”

However, some business owners expressed concerns about the lack of effective policing in cases where illegally held guns are involved. The petrol station owner at Manurewa stated that he had concerns the man who threatened him with a gun could return to his petrol station.

“The police know who has the licensed firearm, that is not a dangerous situation. Only danger is people are having the illegal firearms, which are not registered over there,” he said.

The proposed solution would provide greater confidence for licence holders and help prevent further incidents of gun crime.

Statistics on Gun Crime in Auckland

• 879 firearms offences committed across Auckland in the first six months of this year
• 28 increase from the same time in 2023
• Only 18 of these offences were carried out by individuals with an active firearms licence
• South Auckland suburb of Manurewa had the most reported firearms offences, with 102 reported

Personal Stories of Gun Crime Victims

• Manish Thakkar, Hamilton dairy owner: held at gunpoint during a robbery in 2023
• Ash Parmar, Waikato bottle store owner: concerns about the threat of gun crime looming over business owners

Expert Insights on Gun Control and Community Safety

• Angela Brazier, executive director of the Firearms Safety Authority: keeping track of guns in the community can be a challenge
• Nicole McKee, Associate Justice Minister: developing legislation to improve public safety is part of her job
• Paul Goldsmith, Justice Minister: exploring ways to address issues related to gun control and community safety