Crime Free Australia

[fatpom]

For those of you who might think Australia is a crime free utopia.

We were woken up last night to multiple gun fire at very close range (less than 100m). Fifteen to twenty rounds fired in fairly quick succession. The weapons were high powered arms by the sound of it? Second time its happened although its normally a very quiet area... probably just kids playing with their toys.

[Dave53]

Originally Posted by fatpom

For those of you who might think Australia is a crime free utopia.

We were woken up last night to multiple gun fire at very close range (less than 100m). Fifteen to twenty rounds fired in fairly quick succession. The weapons were high powered arms by the sound of it? Second time its happened although its normally a very quiet area... probably just kids playing with their toys.

Yes .... We have heard gun fire in the past too !! ..

[shaza]

OMG where in Oz do you live?? I live in south London (moving to Oz soon) and have NEVER heard gun fire, or maybe I hear it so often im oblivious to it now

[fatpom]

Doesn't really matter where you live guns are a part of society here... not as silly as the USA but firearms are still common. Most licensed owners are responsible. I was licensed without ownership... used the clubs firearms... didn't want them on my premises.
Not long ago (about 10-15 yrs ago) there was no real arms control so there are a lot of illegal arms still in the possession of people with no intention of using them but simply haven't declared/surrendered them. These are the ones most likely to eventually end up in the hands of criminals.
All cops and some security guards carry firearms. For me that took some getting used to!
Having said that I've never seen any criminal activity with firearms but I've known two in Aus who have been innocently caught up in armed robberies. Its an unlikely event for most of us.

[calNgary]

I remeber a property rental agent being gunned down last year by a unhappy tenant.Things do still happen in Oz as Fatpom says ,thankfully not at the rate we are used too! We have heard gun shots on the occasinol night too ,but put it down to hunters in the Bush? i presume they have hunters here?
Cal x

[fatpom]

Originally Posted by calNgary

i presume they have hunters here?
Cal x

Yep! they certainly do! I've been invited to a few hunting parties in the recent past. Some of them couldn't understand when I said I was only interested in killing paper targets. You could almost hear those "dueling banjo's" in the background.

Mind you, I also have fond memories being shot at back home by the local farmers - miserable old gits.

[Quoll]

We have had gun shots around here too over the past few years along with a couple of explosions - cars being ignited and going boom!!!!

[andy-notts]

I'm from nottingham and in the last few years its become a way of life in some parts of the city. There seems to be at least one shooting every week here and I know for a fact guns are cheap and easy enough to buy if you know certain people. I guess its pretty much the same in other big cities in the UK and it sounds oz is pretty much the same

[fatpom]

Originally Posted by andy-notts

same in other big cities in the UK and it sounds oz is pretty much the same

Yeah I'd say your pretty right about that. There's certainly more firearms here but I wouldn't say there are more criminals using them.

[The 3 Bears]

I must be a gun virgin. I live in a quiet village in central scotland and I've never heard gun fire. The worst we get is kids being drunk and being too noisy at night. Although that in itself is a worry when you have young kids because you wonder whether you can bring them up in the Uk without them being drunk at 12 drugged at 13 and pregnant by 14. I don't think anybody believes that OZ is crime free but what we are searching for is a better place to bring up our kids...right? Is there any way to find out what day to day life is like in our area of choice??