Some 245 weapons were handed in to West Midlands Police (WMP) after their two-week firearms surrender. Over 100 working firearms including rifles, shotguns, revolvers and handguns were surrendered in November. Silencers, starting pistols, air weapons and two deactivated machine guns including an SK47 and a ‘tommy gun’ were taken into police stations across the force area.
WMP Detective Inspector Rod Rose, from force CID, said: “We’re really pleased with the outcome of this surrender where 245 weapons have been taken off the streets which is a fantastic result. A number of deactivated weapons were also given in, these could have been easily converted and should they have fallen into the wrong hands, the consequences could have been devastating.”
Some 351 firearms were recovered and 95 quantities of ammunition in Hampshire; and in the Thames Valley force area, more than 200. Hampshire’s included a number of working illegally held self-loading pistols and working revolvers from World War One, including two that were used in the Battle of the Somme. Others of interest included a gun made to look like walking stick handed in on the Isle of Wight and another made to look like a pen.
A number of illegally held shotguns, including a sawn off shotgun, were also handed in, as well as a revolver made in 1893, handguns, rifles and numerous air rifles and air pistols. Other surrendered items include deactivated and imitation firearms and BB guns.
And 280 firearms – including more than 100 air weapons and a number of historical pieces – were handed in to Northumbria Police. Chief Inspector Dave Gould, Northumbria Police’s lead for the surrender, said: “A number of the guns surrendered are believed to be veteran war pieces, some overlooked or forgotten about and some inherited by families who have been unsure of what to do with them. These families have welcomed the opportunity to safely dispose of them out of harm’s way. We will continue to use intelligence and a proactive approach to target criminal use of firearms. Removing guns as well as ammunition from our communities reduces the risk of them getting into the wrong hands and the possibility of them being used in crime.”
Most will be destroyed, pieces of special interest or historical value may be retained in museums. In the two-week campaign, those surrendering firearms did not face prosecution for the illegal possession upon surrender and can remain anonymous.
Now that the surrender is finished, if you find a firearm or are uncertain about the lawful possession of a firearm, call the police on 101 or 99 in an emergency. Or call Crimestoppers anonymously and free on 0800 555 111.
