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The chart below shows the trend for the numbers of firearms lost and stolen from 1994 to 1998:
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It must be borne in mind that where thefts and losses of firearms are concerned, there is a high incidence of under-reporting since owners are liable to be prosecuted for negligence. Hence the numbers of firearms lost and stolen are thought to be substantially higher than those cited here.
The crime type robbery of firearm differs from the crime type theft of firearm. While both result in the firearm owners being deprived of their firearms, a robbery of a firearm implies the use of force (or the threat of immediate force) to take possession of a firearm. This phenomenon has been on a steady increase with 891 cases reported in 1996, 3 336 in 1997 and 5 054 in 1998. The chart below illustrates the sharp increase in this crime type:
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