At least 45 firearms have been stolen from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police since 2014, including 33 handguns, seven rifles, four shotguns and a grenade launcher.
The data, which was obtained through an access to information request, shows that nearly half of these firearms were reported stolen from the RCMP in 2016, when the grenade launcher plus 18 handguns, two shotguns and a rifle were taken. Four Mountie handguns were also reported stolen last year in 2024.
“If the RCMP has truly lost these weapons, the matter should be fully investigated and the public should be worried,” former RCMP major crime investigator Bruce Pitt-Payne told CTVNews.ca. “I don’t know what the situation is or why so many are unaccounted for; however, the RCMP must be absolutely forthright about this with the public if they want to retain the trust of Canadians.”
I’m not sure why this is news or why this is a cause for worry. There are 750 detachments, over 20000 officers across a country the size of Canada. Its a small number of weapons, especially considering the vast majority are handguns. It’s going to happen. The way this alarmist article is talking, it sounded like hundreds or thousands of weapons are missing and continue to go missing on a weekly or monthly basis. Instead, the majority were reported in 2016 which could be due to a reporting anomaly. (ie missed from previous reports)
Finally, there are over 20 millions guns in Canada and guns are only involved in a small percentage of violent crimes here. Vast majority are sharp objects and the fastest growing is flammable liquid attacks.
The title of the article states the number of weapons missing, and the time frame.
I’m not sure the RCMP would extend reciprocal sympathy and understanding to a citizen firearm owner who lost their gun.
Are you saying you don’t think this issue merits investigation?