Ninety firearms have disappeared from a police academy.
A few individuals at the Police Academy in Aschersleben might not have placed much importance on the safekeeping of firearms, according to a report. 90 guns have now gone missing. This newsbomb seems like a case of deja vu with similar occurrences in various German states.
At the Police Academy of Saxony-Anhalt in Aschersleben, 90 guns seem to have vanished, as per details from a report by the academy's rector, Thorsten Führing, to the state criminal investigation office (LKA). The report, dated Friday, unveils that the missing firearms include pistols, revolvers, and automatic rifles.
To track down the missing guns, the academy sought out ex-staffers in charge of keeping weapons safe. The LKA's comparison weapons collection, a library used by cops for teaching and exhibits, was the source of the missing firearms, apparently.
Apparently, the State Audit Office noted discrepancies in the academy's firearm inventory during a site inspection. Unaccounted weapons were some of those meant for the academy's storage.
This story brings to mind similar ones about vanished ammo and weapons in German police departments. Back in 2023, we heard that, since 2017, roughly 25,000 rounds of ammo had vanished from the Brandenburg Police's shooting sports. Insiders link this scenario to inadequate supervision and recommend stricter management controls. "If such flaws are not spotted over a prolonged period, then I'd say there's also an issue with on-the-job supervision," stated former Munich police head Hubertus Andrä, who chairs the expert committee in Potsdam's interior panel.
The Saxony Police encountered discrepancies in their weapons inventory, too. As stated by Saxony's Interior Ministry in mid-April, four guns vanished from the storage of retired weapons. There were five rounds of ammo missing, as well.
The missing pistols in question are two Heckler & Koch P7 M8s, while the two sport rifles are also under investigation. The service pistols were undocumented since 2022 and were supposed to be stored at Görlitz's Police Directorate. Since 2023, an inquiry is underway. The investigation is likewise ongoing concerning the sport rifles.
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The State Office of Criminal Investigation in Saxony-Anhalt is now involved in the investigation of the missing firearms from the Police Academy in Aschersleben. Due to the international nature of weapon trafficking, this case might have international implications.
