by Jennifer Pritchett
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 26/97) - RCMP are investigating the theft of a handgun that went missing from a downtown apartment complex early Monday morning.

The .44 Magnum handgun was stolen during a house party at Sissons Court.

Its theft marks the second time in a week a restricted weapon has gone missing.

A 9-mm Browning handgun was discovered missing last week when the owner was moving into a new house.

"He can't say when it was taken -- it could be anytime in the last four years," said Staff Sgt. Dave Grundy.

Like the Sissons Court handgun, it was stored properly -- the owner locked the restricted weapon in a case and placed it in a cardboard box, said Grundy.

Police are investigating more than 10 handgun thefts in Yellowknife that have never been solved.

"There's probably about 10 handguns on the loose that we can't account for," he said. "They're restricted weapons that have to be registered."