Be they used for pest control, recreational shooting and hunting, or some other purpose, Bendigo is awash with legal weapons.

In 2014, according to Victoria Police statistics, the 3550 and 3551 postcodes had 14,507 registered firearms.

This figure included thousands of shotguns, hundreds of handguns, and dozens of semi-automatic longarms.

With so many guns present in the community, it is little wonder Bendigo is a prime target for firearm thieves. Some 39 guns stolen in the region over the last two years remain unaccounted for.

Two recent incidents, one in which a shotgun was fired into a Sternberg Street house and another in which a man presented at Bendigo Health with a bullet wound, are deeply concerning.

Australia has been lauded – most recently by US president Barack Obama – for the gun-control laws implemented after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 in which 35 people were killed and two dozen injured.

The Howard government standardised gun laws across all states and territories, imposed two separate buyback schemes for certain types of weapons and significantly toughened penalties for gun-related offences.

The policy saw the removal and destruction of tens of thousands of firearms from society and, to this point, has played a significant role in preventing any subsequent mass and spree shootings.

Research also indicates the unprecedented laws have resulted in a reduction in guns used in suicides and homicides. However, as successful as these changes have proved, Australia cannot afford to be complacent.

For as long as there are criminals, there will be a demand for firearms that cannot be traced directly back to them. That is why the guns stored in safes in homes and farmhouses across regional areas have become so sought after.

Late last year, Superintendent Craig Gillard of Victoria Police proposed new laws banning the keeping of weapons at hobby farms or holiday houses, as well as forcing owners to install more secure safes.

With most gun thefts occurring at isolated premises when the owner is not present, it makes sense guns should be kept at a primary place of residence. The Victorian government should make this change a priority in 2016.

- Ross Tyson, deputy editor