Cameron Clive Petersen was a prohibited person to possess a firearm when he stole four guns worth $2000 from his father's safe in 2012.

His father did not report the theft but police attended his Ross Creek home six years later on April 6, 2017, for a firearm inspection when they learned about the theft. 

Petersen was arrested in Ararat on May 21 in relation to the gun theft.

One of the four guns - a rimfire rifle - has been returned to Petersen's father while the location of the remaining three guns are unknown.

In relation to the driving offence, Petersen was driving in Ararat's Barkly Street on November 4, 2017, when police stopped him. 

Checks revealed his driver’s licence was suspended for three months from August 10, 2017. 

He was on appeal bail at the time for another driving while suspended offence in which he was sentenced to jail. 

The Ballarat Magistrates Court was told on Wednesday during a sentencing hearing Petersen had repeatedly driven while suspended since 2008 and received stints in jail.

With Petersen's mother and family in court for support, magistrate Ron Saines sentenced him to a total of two months in jail.

He said if Petersen, a father-of-one, had not pleaded guilty, he would have received three months in jail.

Petersen pleaded guilty to five charges in May, including being a prohibited person possessing a firearm, theft, driving while suspended and two charges of failing to answer bail.