cr500

1. Lots of good advice already posted. But the first step seeing its been reported to the cops if to get evidence it was posted by the dealer. I too believe it is mandatory by Australia Post that the firearm be sent as a registered post item, at least from my discussions with them and I would not do it any other way with them.

2. Registered Post also allows insurance, I assume none was bought by the dealer. Insisting on Registered Post and Insurance to $X,000 value should have been part of the deal. That way you at least would get some compensation.

3. If the dealer can supply a Registered Post receipt, evidently no record of its delivery to the receiving dealer has been received, so it is in AP's hands somewhere.

4. I suppose then to track in Aust Post where the registered parcel made it to.

5. The suggestions in contacting other Police units sounds a good idea and DON'T rely on the interstate dealer to do it as you mentioned. If they lost a firearm on their books it is a black mark against them. Contact the FIREARMS BRANCH in your state and possibly the other state as well not just the local station or a general station if you didn't do this. The local coppers in general duty hardly know which end is the barrel on a rifle and don't really know much.

As for the Australia Post staffing, I used to have an acquaintance who worked at the local Nuriootpa branch and a common friend. Sometime after the Aust Post 'acquaintance' left their employ my friend revealed to me, that the f#2&%*t ex-Aust Post acquaintance used to 'borrow' my shooting magazines, open them, read them, and a couple of weeks later re-seal them and send them on. So a real honest sort of place.

Good luck.