The UK’s National Ballistics Intelligence Service (Nabis) this morning launched a two-week firearms amnesty in partnership with police forces across England and Wales.
During the initiative, members of the public will be encouraged to surrender any weapons or ammunition they own without fear of being prosecuted, so long as the items they hand over have not been used in any crimes.
Police said they were realistic about the likelihood of organised criminals giving up their firearms, but were instead appealing to relatives of people who might have passed away and left behind weapons, which could be dangerous if they fell into the wrong hands.
Senior law enforcement officers hope the amnesty will repeat the success of a similar initiative that took place during 2014, when more than 6,000 weapons were surrendered.
According to the latest data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics, the number crimes that took place in England and Wales involving a firearm increased by 27% over the 12 moths to the end of June.
Almost half of all firearm offences recorded in England and Wales recorded during this period were logged by London’s Metropolitan Police.
As part of its #GiveUpYourGun campaign, the Met has published a video aiming to highlight how people can underestimate the potential consequences of carrying a gun.
Detective Chief Superintendent Jo Chilton, Head of NABIS, commented: “Surrendering unwanted or illegal firearms avoids the risk of them becoming involved in crime and means that members of the community can dispose of them in a safe place.
“Perhaps you have a gun that has been handed down through the family or you have found a firearm in your loft or shed which has been gathering dust and you had forgotten about.
“During the campaign this November you can contact your local force and hand in any unwanted or illegal firearms. This way you can be confident you have got rid of a firearm safely.”
Launching the amnesty in the Northwest, Detective Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle of Greater Manchester Police told the Manchester Evening News: “It’s worrying, because we know the damage firearms cause and it’s not always the person who’s targeted who gets shot.
“We’ve had incidents whereby innocent children have been caught in the crossfire. I think it would be naive to say don’t worry. Yes, you should be worried.”
Separately, the Birmingham Mail has discovered that children as young as 11 have been caught with firearms across the West Midlands.
Figures obtained by the paper through a freedom of information request submitted to West Midlands Police revealed that 67 young people under the age of 18 have been arrested in the county in connection with firearm offences over the course of the past four years.
Over the same period, over 1,000 under-18s have been investigated by the force over suspicions they had carried knives.
Social Widget