A Provincial Task Team assisted by experts from Pretoria are investigating the break in at Peddie police station in which firearms were stolen.
In a statement on Wednesday, provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Marinda Mills, said that "it was reported on Tuesday morning that access to the strong room of the station was gained through the ceiling and firearms were found to be missing."
"It is still a crime scene and a full audit of firearms allocated to the station for operational use and firearms kept for exhibit purposes are in progress. Only after this has been completed, we will be able to confirm the number of firearms stolen," she added.
According to the Daily Dispatch as many as 30 firearms, including 9mm pistols, were stolen.
DA Eastern Cape spokesperson on Safety and Security, Bobby Stevenson, said the breach of security at a police station was a serious matter.
He said police must pull out all the stops to find the guns.
"This is a major breach of security and it is quite damning in respect that it has now happened at a police station where one expects firearms to be at least safe. The SAPS must pull out all stops to recover these stolen firearms as a matter of urgency because stolen firearms are utilised in murders and armed robberies," said Stevenson.
He said the fact that these firearms are now in circulation are going to contribute to a higher crime rate in those areas.
