FIFTY firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition have been stolen from registered NSW gun owners in the past 16 days, prompting fears the firearms registry has been compromised.

Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione and Police Minister Mike Gallacher on Wednesday made a public show of overseeing the destruction of 142 weapons seized in recent months.

But it has taken little over two weeks for criminals to steal more than a third of that number and put them back on the black market.

In a number of cases since May 14, when the robberies began, entire gun safes have been removed from properties with weapons inside.

Officers said criminals could access the information through a variety of sources - not just the registry.

"We have no evidence to suggest the information has come from the registry," head of the firearms and organised crime squad Detective Superintendent Ken Finch said.

He said there was no investigation into the registry at the moment - but nothing had been ruled out.

Supt Finch agreed some of the recent thefts appeared to be targeted: "Most are in rural areas where people know locals have multiple weapons."

Supt Finch said the registry was subject to strict audit provisions and not accessible by all police officers.

"Access is only granted by a local area commander when it is needed for an investigation."

He said only a limited number of civilians had access and usage of the list was strictly monitored: "Gun clubs are another possible source of information. Some robberies could be opportunistic."

Gun dealers and victims said the registry would be a gold mine to criminals as it contained details of the types of weapons, where they were stored and addresses of owners.

One robbery victim had eight guns stolen within months of being audited by police and his new address added to the registry.

"I was audited in May last year and robbed in October. I had eight weapons stolen from a secure safe," the victim said.

"I live in an estate of 70 homes and was the only place robbed. To me it was obvious I was targeted with information from somewhere.

"Call me cynical but it is too much of a coincidence.

"I have been in the same shooters club for years and never had a problem."

Police have seized more than 1400 illegal weapons since April 1.

Latest figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research revealed gun theft was on the increase.

In the past three years 1706 weapons were stolen - 640 in the past year.

Originally published as Fears after 50 guns stolen in 16 days