Weapons amnesty hit the mark

Chief Constable Phil Gormley has hailed Police Scotland’s Air Weapons Surrender Campaign a resounding success, as he revealed 11,569 weapons were handed in to police stations across the country during the three week initiative.

The Chief Constable was joined this week by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice Michael Matheson to reveal the number of weapons handed in during the campaign.

The Chief Constable also announced that we had received an additional 1000 weapons since the campaign drew to a close on June 12.

Reflecting on the surrendered weapons, prior to being taken away for secure disposal, Mr Gormley thanked everyone who has given up weapons they no longer wish to keep or licence and announced police stations would still be able to receive weapons up until the end of the year.

He said: “This is a fantastic response. Every weapon handed in had the potential to cause serious harm within our communities if misused, and to have more than 11,000 fewer weapons in existence has made Scotland a safer place. I am pleased to say our officers are still able to accept unwanted air weapons, and would ask those responsible members of the public who no longer wish to keep a weapon, or to apply for a licence, to do so, preferably in daylight hours, covered and in a way which does not alarm other people.

“All of these guns, and an assortment of other harmful weapons including crossbows, shotguns, rifles and several pistols dating back to World War 2, will now be taken away and destroyed to ensure they are off our streets forever.”

Lanarkshire accounted for almost 1000 of the weapons that were surrendered.

This week has seen an increase in daytime housebreaking and serves as a reminder to consider the security of your premises at all times. On the morning of Tuesday, June 21, thieves broke into a house on High Blantyre Road, Hamilton. A quantity of jewellery was stolen. Two male suspects were seen, one was carrying a dark grey rucksack with a brown leather diamond on it.

Also on June 21, at Trinity Drive, Uddingston, entry was forced to a flat and a quantity of high-value watches stolen. Around 6pm on June 21, police officers responded to a call of youths allegedly damaging the roof of the David Livingstone Memorial Centre, Blantyre, with a sledgehammer. Officers traced four 15-year-old youths and all were taken home to their parents and charged with alleged vandalism.

The David Livingstone Centre is a great local resource, but unfortunately it has been the subject of vandalism and youth disorder in recent times. I would ask parents in the Blantyre area to consider where there children are when not in the home environment, particularly as we head towards the school summer holidays. My officers are taking a zero tolerance approach to any criminal or anti-social behaviour in this area.

If you have any information on any of the crimes call 101.