Statistics recently released by Gun Control Australia show 1451 firearms were stolen in Victoria  from mid-2013 to mid-2015 and 1406 stolen in NSW in the same period.

Wodonga man Darryle Macklan had 14 guns stolen from his home by the T-shirt gang last year.

One weapon was recovered by police after being sawn off, but the other firearms have not been found.

Mr Macklan still fears the weapons will be used. 

“There would be nothing worse than getting a phone call from police saying one of my firearms has been used in a robbery, or used to shoot someone,” he said. 

“The whole family were devastated. 

“Some were my grandfathers, some were my fathers and they're both dead. 

“They were locked in a steel cupboard with three padlocks on it. 

“All we can do is lock them up as good as we can.”

In recent incidents, Kade Bartel, 29, threatened to kill his mother with a shotgun thought to be stolen and was arrested at a home on the Kiewa Valley Highway. 

Wodonga police seized three stolen high-powered rifles in September, one of which had been shortened, and a pen pistol was seized during drug raids in Wangaratta two weeks ago. 

Superintendent Paul O’Halloran said police had made significant seizures during drug operations. 

“It's good that we seize them but we'd much rather be in a situation where they don't get stolen in the first place,” he said. 

Gun owners played an important role by ensuring the weapons were properly secured, which could make it harder for guns to “get into the wrong hands”, he said.