The number of legally-held firearms stolen during burglaries has fallen significantly in recent years, according to figures obtained by The Irish Times. The Garda used to disclose the numbers of stolen firearms in an annual report but has not done so in the last three years. Nevertheless the 2016 figures represent a significant fall-off in the number of stolen firearms. A Department of Justice spokesman put the decrease in stolen guns down to legislation introduced in 2009 that is finally beginning to show results. The 2009 legislation increased the level of security gun owners must have in place when storing their firearms.

Source: The Irish Times December 27, 2017 00:56 UTC