Across The Hume Police District, it's common for illegal firearms to be handed into police for a range of reasons, including from deceased estates.

These firearms are regularly not kept in approved safes and pose a risk to the community if they fall into the wrong hands through accidental use or theft.

Police regularly conduct safe storage inspections on a risk basis to ensure firearms are being kept in compliant safes to avoid theft and kept so as to avoid injury or death.

The majority of firearms holders are compliant and take pride in safety and security and adhere to the ideology "You own it, you look after it".

At the start of July, Crime Stoppers and the NSW Police Force called for residents to register or surrender illegal firearms and ammunition without being penalised for illegal possession, as part of the first ever permanent national amnesty.

Crime Stoppers and police across the country are giving Australians a chance to surrender for destruction unwanted or unregistered firearms, parts, and ammunition at no cost and without penalty for illegal possession.

Our ultimate aim is for safer communities, and this starts with the safe storage of firearms, and the handing in of illegal firearms and ammunition.

Taking illegal guns out of the community can never be a bad thing.

The amnesty coincides with the launch of Gun Safe - a new online portal for managing firearms transactions in NSW.

Designed with community safety top of mind, this platform is the first of its kind replacing manual licence applications with real time information and verification.

The portal will be linked to the acquisition of firearms in NSW and disposal of firearms locally and interstate.

This risk-based system notifies the registry of unusual or unverified transactions which will reduce risk of harm in the community.

Participating dealers can now accept and record unregistered firearms through the NSW Police Force's new Gun Safe platform.

Dealers using the digital platform can register firearms, prohibited weapons, gun parts and ammunition under the Amnesty.

More information about the amnesty and surrendering, registering or selling unwanted firearms is available from crimestoppers.com.au/firearmsamnesty