Home-made stun guns built from cameras hit Oz streets

MELBOURNE - Home-made stun guns made from disposable cameras using instructions from the Internet are becoming increasingly common in Australia.

The cameras provide the parts and the voltage necessary to create a powerful Taser-like effect.

Two screws protruding from the body of the camera conduct the charge, which is fired by pressing the button on the camera, as if taking a picture.

While not lethal, the weapon has a higher voltage than a household power point and can be modified to increase voltage. The more powerful the camera flash, the stronger the electrical charge will be.

New South Wales (NSW) Police have warned the devices are illegal.

“The device could be classified as a prohibited weapon and police warn that anyone caught using one could face tough penalties including jail,” News.com.au quoted an NSW Police spokesman as saying.

Earlier this month police charged a 24-year-old man with using a Taser-like device to attack two Chester Hill High School students, aged 16 and 17.

However, the police spokesman said detectives were unsure about whether the alleged weapon was a regular stun gun or a homemade Taser-like device.

A friend of both victims said the alleged weapon - which had a sharp implement on the end - was created from a disposable camera. (ANI)