Police are hunting thieves who stole three high-powered rifles from a Warwick home.

Worried Police are now urging licensed gun owners to take their weapons to Warwick Camp for an audit to ensure no other weapons are missing.

The high-calibre weapons were taken in their black, locked boxes from Longtail Drive but no ammunition was taken in the same raid on Tuesday.

The owner said he had locked the home at 10 a.m. only to return to find the home ransacked at 4.30 p.m. Jewellery, cash and food were also taken.

The weapons are:

[obox] One .30 calibre Garrand semi-automatic rifle (Second World War vintage)

[obox] One 7.62 calibre single shot Paramount competition rifle

[obox] One 7.62 calibre single shot Hall competition rifle

Although no ammunition had been lost Assistant Police Commissioner Carlton Adams said: "We are nevertheless concerned the weapons have been stolen and are in the hands of unauthorised persons."

The matter is being investigated by elements of the serious crime unit, CID and Narcotics.

Mr. Adams said: "All weapons owned by members of rifle clubs have been requested to be taken to Warwick Camp where an audit will be conducted of the weapons and ammunition to ensure the whereabouts of those weapons is known."

Asked why Police were asking everyone else to bring in their rifles he said: "That was a decision made by the Commissioner. It is simply an audit that ensures we know where all the weapons are.

"So once completed we are not concerned about that. We know where all those weapons are and we can focus on the ones we are talking about today."

"Three weapons of this calibre and capability is not something we take lightly in the position of unauthorised individuals. They are very powerful weapons."

He said the householder who had been burgled was a member of rifle competition club. Asked if the thieves had been specifically targeting the guns Mr. Adams said: "That is not clear at this stage. The array of goods and items stolen suggests that it was a break-in with the intention of stealing whatever could be stolen.

"Some of our criminals are like jackdaws — anything shiny and not nailed down they take."

He warned that unlicensed possession of a firearm can land a person with a 15-year prison sentence.

"We intend to pursue this vigorously. And we will keep after outstanding firearms for longer periods of time than with some other cases."

People with information are urged to call the serious crime unit on 299-4239.

High-powered rifles stolen