Gunman's stash included former army rifles

New Zealand Police

ARMED AND DANGEROUS: Guns found in Jan Molenaar's bedroom. Two high-powered guns used by Molenaar during the Napier siege were former army issue rifles.

The New Zealand Defence Force has confirmed two high-powered guns used by Jan Molenaar during the Napier siege were former army issue rifles.

In May, Molenaar went on an armed rampage in Napier's Hospital Hill suburb. Long serving police officer Senior Constable Len Snee was shot dead by Molenaar as he executed a search warrant at Molenaar's home in Chaucer Street.

Constable Grant Diver and Senior Constable Bruce Miller were also seriously injured by gunfire from Molenaar.

The shootings began a 50-hour siege in which police and Molenaar exchanged intermittent fire until Molenaar's dead body was discovered inside his home 3 days later.

Police later discovered Molenaar had cache of 18 guns, two of which were SLR rifles, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Commander Shaun Fogarty said both SLR rifles were former defence force issue rifles and had been disposed of legally through the Government Disposals Bureau in 1990.

"The SLR rifle was standard issue to New Zealand Defence Force personnel back in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s and was replaced by the Steyr rifles currently used by NZDF personnel," Cdr Fogarty.

"Obsolete weapons were sold-off in accordance with regulations of the time, and could be bought by members of the New Zealand public."

Defence records confirm that the two SLR rifles found in the possession of Jan Molenaar had been disposed of, Cdr Fogarty said.

"As the Napier incident proves, weapons that end up in the hands of the wrong people can have terrible consequences," says Cdr Fogarty. "The Defence Force takes seriously its obligations to safeguard the weapons in its possession."

The Defence Force statement also revealed that all defence personal involved in the Napier siege were unarmed and the two Light Armoured Vechicles (LAVs) deployed to the scene were not carrying ammunition.

The LAVs were not damaged during the siege and the total cost of their use was $5715.

The Defence force also announced that in the past decade only one 9mm pistol had been reported as a missing defence weapon in New Zealand.

Cdr Fogarty said a new weapon's inventory and accounting system was introduced in 2000 which had dramatically improved their ability to track weapons.

Before the new system was introduced six 9mm pistols and two Steyr rifles went missing between 1990 and 1997.

The Defence Force says their records also reveal a small number of "trophies" (weapons that had been decommissioned and mounted for public display) had also been lost during this period. They included an inoperative pistol, an inoperative and incomplete grenade launcher, an inoperative sub-machine gun, and two inoperative rifles.

- © Fairfax NZ News