The man who admitted stealing nine guns from the Palmerston North police station in April has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison.
Alan James Harris is wanted over the theft of a number of firearms from the Palmerston North police station. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
Alan James Harris was charged with burglary after the guns - including an illegal semi-automatic weapon - were taken from a secure area in the police station.
He pleaded guilty to the charges in July and was sentenced today in the Palmerston North District Court.
Harris was walking past the police station on 25 April when he looked over the fence and saw a garage door was open.
He kicked down a door to the exhibits room, and took 26 firearms, some ammunition, and some cannabis outside, putting them over a fence into a property next door.
Harris left to get his car and came to load the guns, but was interrupted by police. He made an escape with nine of the guns, as well as ammunition, and cannabis.
The guns taken were being held as exhibits, or had been handed in for destruction.
The burglary raised concerns about the security of police stations to secure guns safely as people handed them in following changes to the country's gun laws in the wake of the March mosque shootings in Christchurch.
It led to a nationwide audit looking at the security of firearms at police stations.
