Police divers have retrieved a large stash of ammunition that was dumped from a bridge at North Narrabeen.
Just after 8.15am this morning (Thursday, 06 August), NSW Police responded to a report from a member of the public that objects appearing to be rifle rounds had been tossed into Narrabeen Lagoon under a bridge at Pittwater Road, North Narrabeen, near Lakeside Park.
Officers attached to Northern Beaches Police Area Command responded to the scene, and were surprised to find hundreds of ammunition cartridges scattered in the water directly below the bridge.
The water was shallow enough to make out the rounds appeared to be rifle rounds, with some possible variation in calibre. Police borrowed a pool net to retrieve a sample, confirming the dumped ammunition contained live rounds that had not been used.
The high-visibility police presence raised questions from passers-by, with one person suggesting it was unlikely to be a local who had discarded the bullets.
“It’s two feet deep, you can see the bottom clearly. It’s literally the stupidest place you can think of to dump something you don’t want found with everyone walking past.
“Unless someone was panicked, this wasn’t a local. There’s much smarter places to dump something like that into deeper water where it wouldn’t be found,” said the local man.
The Northern Beaches Advocate was able to observe that some of the rounds had red tips, which indicates they are ‘ballistic tip’ rounds, otherwise known as ‘hollow point’.
Ballistic tip ammunition is specifically designed for increased lethality, rapidly expanding after penetration of a target. They are legal for use in Australia by hunters to ensure a rapid kill of feral animals.
Police at the scene remained tight-lipped, but a detective was observed to be in attendance conducting inquiries and police divers from Marine Area Command were called to the scene to retrieve the ammunition and conduct a further search of the water under the bridge.
Another local said they launched their kayak from that location yesterday and had not seen anything in the water, meaning the rounds had been dumped in the last 24 hours, most likely overnight.
A police investigation into the dumping of the ammunition is ongoing. Anyone with information about how the rounds may have come to be there, or who has mobile phone / dashcam footage from the last 24 hours showing suspicious behaviour, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Images and video: Northern Beaches Advocate
NSW Police are seeking public assistance in relation to this matter. If you have any information that may assist them with their inquiries, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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