Astonished police have seized a hoard of 107 guns and 12,500 rounds of ammo from an 80-year-old man reported for domestic violence by his wife.

The haul seized included 1 submachine gun, 76 pistols and revolvers, 30 rifles of different manufacturers or calibres, numerous parts for firearms, as well as 2 silencers, 30 bayonets, sabres and knives and also over 12,500 pieces of different types of ammunition.

Police in Hohenau an der March, in north-eastern Austria, had originally arrived at the couple’s home to question the man – not named in local media – for allegedly hitting his 75-year-old wife.

The Federal Anti-Terrorism Office for State Security announced it considered the pensioner a private collector who had bought the weapons only for personal pleasure but confirmed it was still a serious offence.

The owner was given an immediate ban on possessing any weapons and may face charges for the illegal possession of ammunition, according to the Lower Austrian Police Department.

The pensioner was not arrested as investigations into the haul by the district administration and state prosecutors in Korneuburg continue.

Hohenau an der March is located northeast of the federal capital Vienna, and just a few miles from the Austrian border with the Czech Republic and Slovakia.