A balaclava-wearing intruder stole a cache of weapons from an Australian navy vessel on Friday after overpowering a seaman, officials said, in a security breach the military described as “concerning”.
The Australian Department of Defence said the infiltrator “overwhelmed a duty member onboard a patrol boat” which was moored at HMAS Coonawarra, a naval base in the northern city of Darwin in a night raid.
“The intruder overpowered the duty member, accessed the vessel’s armoury and removed a number of weapons,” it said in a statement.
“The person then departed the vessel with the weapons.”
Police said two pump-action shotguns and 12 pistols were stolen by the intruder, who was wearing a balaclava and military-style clothing and who they said “appeared to have good knowledge of the vessel”.
Police Commander Richard Bryson said the raider overpowered and restrained the leading seaman who was on watch on the HMAS Bathurst patrol boat, but it was not known whether he accessed the boat from land or by sea.