Son arrested over dead dad's firearms

12 Jan 2012 - A 37-YEAR-OLD man was arrested by the Hawks in Polokwane yesterday after he was found with five firearms and 331 live rounds of ammunition.

The arrest comes after a tip- off from members of the public. Limpopo police said yesterday that the recovered firearms included three rifles and two revolvers.

"The firearms and the magazines were found in a safe, while 50 rounds were found hidden in a wardrobe," Limpopo police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mohale Ramatseba said yesterday.

Ramatseba said police also confiscated seven firearm licences belonging to the suspect's father, who had died.

"Our preliminary investigations revealed that the firearms belonged to the suspect's father and therefore the son possessed the firearms unlawfully.

"The suspect should have applied for permission to store the firearms in terms of the Fire Arms Control Act."

He said the firearms would be sent for ballistics tests in Pretoria to determine if they had been used in any crime.

If anyone dies while possessing a firearm, their relative must apply to store them.