The mayor of Prince Albert is calling for stricter handgun storage regulations following a recent theft in the northern Saskatchewan city.
Two people broke into a business early in the morning on Jan. 17 and made off with a number of handguns.
Greg Dionne would like to see changes in the way handguns are secured in gun shops and believes there is no reason why stores should not lock guns up at night in a safe.
“Guns are in demand by the criminals and the gangs in our country,” Dionne stated.
“I believe my request is not unreasonable.”
He said although there may be an issue with initial costs to store owners to install a safe, the overriding issue is public safety.
“At the end of the day it’s about the safety of the community and the safety of the men and women of the police force,” Dionne said.
“In today’s world that has to be taken seriously.”
He added that handguns are a restricted weapon and need to be secured when stored.
Dionne said he has been in contact with federal officials and said changes are being planned to strengthen storage regulations.
“It’s governed by the federal government, so when they pass the regulations, it will be across the country,” Dionne said.