Sword and bow seized from meter thief

A NSW man has allegedly been caught trying to make off with a stolen parking meter.

The 30-year-old Wollongong man was arrested on Monday after reports he was attempting to load the parking meter into his car, police say.

They say they searched him and found a homemade gun and bullets and later discovered a samurai sword and bow in his home.

He's due to appear in Port Kembla Local court on Tuesday charged with larceny and possessing an unauthorised firearm.