Corowa Police Sgt Steve Marshall says police have been inundated by cases where firearm owners have not renewed their registration causing police to waste time unnecessarily.
July has proven a busy month for Corowa Police given that the winter months are normally quieter allowing time to catch up on more protracted investigations.
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A former Corowa local has been convicted in Albury Local Court for numerous offences spanning three weeks.
Ben Dinan, 36, was banned from numerous retail and licensed premises for continually trespassing.
This was combined with stealing, offensive behaviour, attempted break and enters and culminating in threats being made against employees of the Hume Bank in Sanger St.
Dinan appeared in court on July 28 and was sentenced to nine-months behind bars.
Sgt Steve Marshall from Corowa Police said Dinan’s conviction and imprisonment provided relief to local police and those effected by his behaviour.
Earlier last month, a Blue Janso e-bike was stolen from the driveway of a Walker St, Corowa address.
A neighbouring property had high quality CCTV which captured the offender scoping the property and riding off with the bike.
Through previous interactions with the 35-year-old Corowa local, police had positively identified the man who now has a date with the magistrate on August 28.
The bike was valued at $1600, which police will seek compensation for.
In Howlong, police are investigating a number of thefts outside 271 Jude St.
Sgt Marshall said that on July 10, unknown persons attended the address and stole a number of Makita power tools from a green Ford Territory.
“CCTV has been canvassed, and forensics police have examined the vehicle,” Sgt Marshall said.
Police are appealing to anyone who may know something about this theft to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Corowa Police Station on 02 69322899.
On July 15, police were alerted to a break, enter and steal at Corowa Computers where a man had smashed the front window and gained access to the premises in the early hours of the morning.
He entered the premises and stole a Lenovo computer valued at $1400.
The entire incident was captured on CCTV allowing Corowa Police to identify a local youth.
Sgt Marshall said police spoke to the youth regarding the incident in the presence of his parents and the computer was recovered intact.
“We have elected to proceed via the Young Offenders Act in dealing with the young person,” he said.
Again, on July 15, Corowa police were contacted by WG Hunter Rural regarding a fraudulent check being passed at the Corowa store for more than $2000 worth of equipment.
A similar matter had also occurred in the WG Hunter Rural Store in Shepparton.
Using the CCTV from the store, police from Corowa and Rutherglen put their heads together and identified a 56-year-old Wodonga woman who had been arrested in Wodonga and charged with fraud.
On July 26, police were called to Origin Clothing in Sanger St, Corowa where a Ripcurl jacket worth $220 was stolen from the display out front.
Police will allege that a 45-year-old man greeted store owner, Sally Aitchison, before waiting for her to turn her back.
The man took the jacket and walked off towards Edward St.
Unfortunately for the local man, another local spotted him.
Police are waiting to speak to him.
“In the interim, should anyone witness someone wearing the Ripcurl jacket, please contact Corowa Police,” Sgt Marshall said.
Have you seen anyone wearing this jacket?
Finally, Corowa Police are encouraging local firearm owners to check their firearms licences for expiry dates.
This can be done either on the Service NSW App or your hard copy licence in your wallet.
Sgt Marshall said Corowa and Howlong police were inundated with cases from the Firearms Registry where complacent firearm owners had failed to renew their licence.
“This requires police to attend the licence owners address and seize their firearms until the firearms owner applies for and is granted a new licence,” he said.
“It also necessitates police conducting another safe storage inspection with the overall process taking between three to six months.
“Conducting these enquiries into Firearms Licences that haven’t been renewed takes up a lot of our time and takes us away from our proactive and reactive duties.
“All I ask is that if you have a Firearms Licence, be aware of your expiry date and apply for a renewal well in advance of the expiry; you will be doing yourselves and us a massive favour.”
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