Hamilton police report steep rise in gun seizures including 13 last weekend
Published April 3, 2023 at 5:56 pm
Hamilton Police have reported a steep rise in the number of crime guns they have seized so far this year, sounding the alarm after confiscating 13 such weapons over the last weekend.
Of particular note was an incident on Mar. 31. Around 8:30 a.m., a man was driving by Barton St. and 50 Rd. in Stoney Creek when he spotted an abandoned bedside table.
The driver stopped to pick up the nightstand and found a loaded pistol attached to the bottom. They called the police who on further investigation found another seven weapons complete with ammo. A Hamilton man, age 59, was ultimately charged with several firearms offences.
Another investigation was launched the next day at 10 a.m. Police responded to Candlewood Dr. after an incident and found another two guns. Five people, aged 16 to 22, were arrested at the time. Two of them were later charged with a battery of weapons offences.
Then, on Apr. 2, police were called to two different incidents in the city. Firstly they went out to Main St and Queen St. in Central Hamilton around 2:30 a.m. after a loaded pistol was found in a bar.
Once they arrived the officer “confirmed that it was a loaded firearm, deemed it safe and seized the gun.”
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Nearly 12 hours later at 1 p.m., officers found a stopped vehicle in the middle of live traffic. Police did not specify where in the city they found the car.
When the officer approached to investigate the vehicle, they found a man slumped over the steering wheel with ammunition in the passenger seat. A search of the car discovered two loaded long guns inside.
These incidents bring the total amount of crime guns seized up to 48 so far in 2023. Five of the weapons were found during traffic stops. This represents a sharp 77 per cent jump over this time last year.
“We should all be alarmed by these numbers. Thanks to the great work of our officers and the keen eyes of a few citizens, we got 13 guns within a 48-hour period,” said Chief Frank Bergen.
“If not for the interaction of police and concerned citizens, these guns would still be circulating on Hamilton’s streets. These incidents are a reminder that if you see something, then say something. By working together, we can make our streets safer for everyone,” Bergen concluded.
Anyone with information about weapons in the community can call police at 905-546-4925.
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