GUN owners will be able to hand in their firearms without fear of prosecution for two weeks from today.

Three police stations in Oxfordshire are taking part in Hand in the Gun – a Thames Valley Police (TVP) firearms and ammunition amnesty – to get guns out of people’s homes and off the streets.

From 8am today until 10pm on December 7 any unlicensed guns, bullets and old or antique firearms can be handed in without fear of investigation for illegal possession of weapons.

Leading the campaign, Chief Insp Lindsay James said: “Any unwanted fire-arms that may be a family heirloom or belonged to someone who has passed away, or are just not needed anymore, should come to us.

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“We have over 30,000 firearm certificate holders in the Thames Valley. Clearly there will be a contingency where people want to get rid of their guns because they’re not needed anymore – we don’t want them getting into the wrong hands.

“These can come from the rural community, or criminals, or any member of the public.”

Chief Insp James said weapons would be forensically examined and guns thought to have been used in crimes investigated, adding: “Every gun given up is one less that criminals can use.”

He said changes in the law meant people who had old weapons in their home could now be breaking the law.

He said: “Changes in legislation have really tightened up around antique firearms and people need to search their houses and make sure everything is clear.

Maximum sentencing guidelines for possessing an illegal gun have also gone up from 10 years to life imprisonment.”

Crimes involving firearms in the Thames Valley dropped from 188 in 2012/13 to 148 in 2013/14.

They included 61 criminal damage offences, 59 cases of violence against another person, 19 robberies and four attempted murders.

No one died but 23 people were injured, three seriously.

Police stations involved in Hand in the Gun include St Aldate’s, Oxford, which is open around the clock; Abingdon, open from 8am to 10pm; and Banbury, which is open from 8am to 10pm.

 

 

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