# Police seize grenades, cannon, machine guns in Eastern Ontario home



## 57Chevy (12 Mar 2013)

Article is shared with provisions of The Copyright Act

Police seize grenades, cannon, machine guns in Eastern Ontario home
 CBC News  12 March
Former Mountie charged with a variety of weapons-related offences

A former RCMP officer has been charged after Ontario Provincial Police seized a massive cache of weapons — including machine guns, a cannon, grenades and thousands of rounds of ammunition — at a Bancroft, Ont., home.

The arsenal was found last week in two hidden compartments built into the walls of the house, located in the heart of cottage country, police said Tuesday.

"What this investigation tells us is that copious amounts of firearms and ammunition were collected, stored, and sometimes even created well away from big-city Ontario," Det. Insp. Patti Dobbin told a news conference Tuesday morning.

OPP and Durham Regional Police Service executed a search warrant on Spooks Bay Lane in Bancroft, Ont., on the morning of March 7. There, they found assault rifles, a Taser, crossbows, a fully-automatic shotgun, silencers, an 80-centimetre-long cannon and "tens of thousands" of rounds of ammunition, as well as landmines, grenades and detonator cords, police said.

Some of the assault rifles were homemade, police said. Some pistols had no serial numbers, and some firearms had the serial numbers removed.

"The assault rifles, the ARs, they have no markings on them at all," said Durham Regional Police Det. Jamie Derusha. "And that causes us a lot of concern."

Former RCMP officer arrested

David Alan Kift, 55, of Bancroft, has been charged with multiple counts of weapons-related offences, including illegal possession, manufacturing prohibited and restricted firearms, and illegal possession of ammunition and explosives, and breach of parole conditions. He has been remanded into custody.

Kift is a former RCMP officer who left the force in 1996, said Insp. Mario Lessard of the Durham Regional Police.

Kift was out on parole with a lifetime ban on possessing firearms when officers raided his secluded home, police say.

Marion Kift, a 53-year-old woman, also of Bancroft, has been charged with multiple counts of similar offences, police said. She appeared in court on Monday, and has been released with conditions after a bail hearing.

Both are facing hundreds of charges, police say.

"The allegation is the manufacturing, the alteration of these firearms," he said. "There is no possible reason why anybody would have such an arsenal of weapons."

Police received tip months ago

Typically, illegal weapons and ammunition are sourced elsewhere, such as the United States in trade for drugs in cash in connection with other criminal activities, said Dobbin. But in this case, these illegal activities were taking place "right in our own backyard."

"We take our families to these places with shared expectations of these remote cottage country surroundings, that are even more secure from major amounts of firearms, and even devices designed for use in times of war," she said.

The seizure comes months after police received information about a possible cache of weapons, said Lessard.

Police also received information that there was some trafficking of firearms, he added.

"This is a significant discovery and we are pleased that these weapons are now secure," said Lessard.

"As police officers, we never want to see this kind of firepower in one place. It tends to attract attention and could be the target of criminals who want these weapons for their illegal activities."

photos and video at link


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## dapaterson (12 Mar 2013)

He's written a book as well, through xLibris, a self-publishing outfit:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Naked-Mountie-David-Kift/dp/1479728896#reader_B00A0QXDV2


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## OldSolduer (12 Mar 2013)

Not to be a jerk, but were any of these weapons registered?

Somehow I doubt it.


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## Haggis (12 Mar 2013)

Jim Seggie said:
			
		

> Not to be a jerk, but were any of these weapons registered?



Maybe they were at one time.  Probably not any more, certainly once the serial numbers were removed.  But, I'm simply speculating - and that is bad.


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## NavyShooter (13 Mar 2013)

Looked at the photos a bit....a couple of suppositions that I can draw.

*1.  BREN.*  Looks like it may have been de-watted (based on weld marks on barrel latch) not sure if it's still dewat, but it has a visual presence in the photos, does it not?

*2.  M-16 family of weapons (FOW).*  there is a photo on the police website in which you can clearly see a green-furniture'd M-16FOW type rifle barrel down in a wall cavity....and you can also clearly see the pin for the Auto Sear/trip lever in it, so it's a Full Auto.   He also has two other M-16 type rifles, both "in the white" (unfinished/unpainted/anodized receivers) which appear to be home-built.  Home built receivers are not an issue, so long as they're registered, and built to AR-15 specifications as Semi-Auto only, (and registered with the CFC/RCMP through your CFO once you have the "Intent" to make the piece of metal into a receiver.)  The problem being, this guy has a history, which includes a firearms prohibition....so there's no-way that he's got those receivers legally registered.  

*3.  STEN(s).*  There's a series of STEN based firearms present.  You cannot tell externally if they're open or closed bolt operation, and there are legal, closed bolt, semi-auto only STEN guns in Canada.  (I own one, which I built myself, which has been registered with the CFC, RCMP, and met with the CFO three times during the planning and construction process.)  Problem being, again, this guy's history....the barrel length would make the STEN's shown in the images AT LEAST restricted firearms, and this guy's got a complete prohibition....so there's no way for them to be legally registered, particularly to him.  

*4.  Suppressors (silencers).*  Yes, they COULD be solid blocks of metal that screw on the end of the muzzle to provide the appearance of a suppressor while not acting as a suppressor, however, I suspect that is not the case.  Legally, if you're a business and hold the correct business license, you CAN get suppressors in Canada, but this guy....again....prohibition....'nuf said.

*5.  Ammuntion.*  Oops, no firearms license, how did you buy ammo?  The packaging isn't important, anyone can get ammo cans from princess auto for storage, but the ammo itself...when he's got a prohibition...?

Images from the OPP Website follow:

M-16 in the wall:

http://www.opp.ca/media/pweu/1.jpg







Sten photo:

http://www.opp.ca/media/pweu/4.jpg






And an overall photo of the whole collection of siezed firearms:

http://www.opp.ca/media/pweu/10.jpg


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## NavyShooter (13 Mar 2013)

It appears that there are 62 firearms (with yellow tags) plus magazines, (probably un-pinned at 5 rds) what appears to possibly be 2 pen guns, 6 non-firearms pistols, a cannon, plus a number of bows/cross-bows.

The SPAS-12 in the 2nd row of guns is a Prohib, no grandfathering (banned in 1992).

There's at least 6 suppressors or suppressed firearms there.

For an Ex-RCMP officer, he's really jumped from being a keeper of the laws, to a breaker of them.   

"Ignorance of the facts is a defense, ignorance of the law is not."

NS


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## Taras27131 (13 Mar 2013)

I just love the contrast of weapons in the last picture. For example in the second last column there is a suppressed AR15 type rifle right beside a musket in the last column! I was also wondering if anyone could identify the gun that is 8th from the top in the last column?


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## NavyShooter (13 Mar 2013)

PPSH 43?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PPS_submachine_gun

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FilePS.jpg


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## Taras27131 (13 Mar 2013)

I meant the gun below that one.


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## Fishbone Jones (13 Mar 2013)

Looks like some sort of trapdoor. Not quite a Springfield, but something along that line.


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## Taras27131 (13 Mar 2013)

On the news they said that some of the guns were modified, so it could be a Springfield with a modified stock/handguard. But I'm not sure. Thanks for the reply.


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## Harris (13 Mar 2013)

This guy was prepared for zombies, aliens, nuclear war, and god knows what else all in one go.


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## PuckChaser (13 Mar 2013)

Are those barbeques going up for auction? They look nice.  >


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## Lance Wiebe (13 Mar 2013)

That is a really nice collection!
There's a few I wouldn't mind owning myself; it's unfortunate that they're all going to be destroyed.
The guy obviously had a few screws loose.....


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## Eaglelord17 (13 Mar 2013)

Do they really destroy the firearms in this case? I could understand the Prohibited and maybe even the Restricted but there are some fairly valueable/uncommon firearms in the mix there. From a quick glance I spotted several Lee Enfields, a couple of Lee enfield Jungle Carbines/mk 5's, a SVT 40 and some other nice looking Non-Restricted firearms. Wouldn't mind owning a few of those, I hope those don't get cut up as that would be a waste.

edited as the last sentence wasn't complete


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## cupper (13 Mar 2013)

I'm surprised he didn't have anything in .50 Cal.


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## Lance Wiebe (13 Mar 2013)

I've never heard of any police force auctioning off or selling seized weapons; not to say it doesn't happen, but I've never heard of it.


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## armyvern (13 Mar 2013)

In the group photo of the weapons ... bottom right corner of the photo ...

Is that a flip wallet with a (possibly counterfeit) LE Badge/ID card  (RCMP??).

Forgot mes lunettes in Montreal, so can't see it all that well.   :-\


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## armyvern (13 Mar 2013)

An archived article on his previous jail time; it seems as if it is same old/same old:

Snagged from: By RCMP Watch	 — 2008.01.29 at 18:16 



> `Naked Mountie’ jailed 5 years
> 
> Peter Small (Toronto Star) – A retired RCMP officer who provided guns for a legendary con man has been sent to jail for five years for 10 firearms offences.
> 
> ...


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## 57Chevy (13 Mar 2013)

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> In the group photo of the weapons ... bottom right corner of the photo ...
> 
> Is that a flip wallet with a (possibly counterfeit) LE Badge/ID card  (RCMP??).
> 
> Forgot mes lunettes in Montreal, so can't see it all that well.   :-\



enlarged and slightly sharpenned flip wallet for you.
(I was looking at that also)


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## cupper (13 Mar 2013)

So if he got 5 yrs in '08, He's f'd now.


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## NavyShooter (13 Mar 2013)

Interesting proof of the revolving door concept not working.

Obviously his previous time didn't convince him of the errors of his ways...


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## Fishbone Jones (13 Mar 2013)

He's supposed to get 3 years on each count for a firearms conviction.

However, Canadian justice normally lends itself to the sentences running concurrent instead of consecutive.

The Crown will probably ask for 20-25. I expect he'll plea bargain to 15 years and parole in 7-10.


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## Jarnhamar (14 Mar 2013)

The C8 looking carbine seems like it has CF issue parts. Adjustable buttock, front handguards, weaver mount.

Collection seems all over the place to me, like he just wanted to collect _weapons_. I'm surprised there's no throwing stars, nun chucks or Spetnaz spring knives.

The tip off probably came when he was buying 62 trigger locks and asked if there was a cannon sized one.


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## Fishbone Jones (14 Mar 2013)

ObedientiaZelum said:
			
		

> The C8 looking carbine seems like it has CF issue parts. Adjustable buttock, front handguards, weaver mount.
> 
> 
> The tip off probably came when he was buying 62 trigger locks and asked if there was a cannon sized one.



All of those parts are readily available on the civilian market for AR style firearms.

The cannon is perfectly legal and requires no paperwork or registration. It is classed as an antique, no matter when it was made, because it uses black powder and is fuse initiated.


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## Jarnhamar (14 Mar 2013)

recceguy said:
			
		

> All of those parts are readily available on the civilian market for AR style firearms.



For sure. I just found it particular.


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## Jarnhamar (14 Mar 2013)

Lance Wiebe said:
			
		

> I've never heard of any police force auctioning off or selling seized weapons; not to say it doesn't happen, but I've never heard of it.



I can't seem to find the article but I recall years ago the Toronto police holding a gun amnesty to get firearms off the street only to get caught selling the (turned in) firearms BACK to the public at an auction. The police's excuse was that they were trying to raise money for the department to better protect the public.


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## Robert0288 (14 Mar 2013)

Offer amnesty to take illegal/unwanted firearms off the street, and sell them to law abiding owners and collectors at a profit?  This is actually a good idea.


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## cupper (14 Mar 2013)

recceguy said:
			
		

> The cannon is perfectly legal and requires no paperwork or registration. It is classed as an antique, no matter when it was made, because it uses black powder and is fuse initiated.



Still probably annoys the shit out of the neighbors when he fires it every morning to say "HELLO!"  ;D


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## Fishbone Jones (15 Mar 2013)

A growing trend at 'gun amnesties' in the States has had to do with what's happening outside.

Greater numbers of qualified people have been turning up at turn ins with wads of cash.

They have been purchasing firearms, at discount prices, but higher than the amnesty pays, outside the turn in area.

People are getting a better price for their arms, they are staying in the public pervue and the local police have no idea who purchased what.

FFL's are being checked and as long as your legal they can't stop the purchases.


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## Harris (15 Mar 2013)

ObedientiaZelum said:
			
		

> The C8 looking carbine seems like it has CF issue parts. Adjustable buttock


Sometimes I wish I had one of these.   >


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