Machine gun handed in to police during amnesty

DOZENS of lethal firearms including a machine gun from the Second World War were handed to police during a gun amnesty.

During the two-week amnesty Gwent Police had a record 109 items surrendered including four revolvers, five rifles, eight shotguns and 14 pistols.

Police said one weapon found in a shed could have had “devastating consequences” in the wrong hands.

Many of the guns are inherited, some of found during house moves and many are old or unused farmer’s guns.

Superintendent Glyn Fernquest said: “I would like to thank the public for the support during this two week campaign.

“We had a fantastic response this year and as result there are 41 less firearms out there with the potential to end up in the wrong hands.

“We had both interesting and dangerous items handed in.

“A MG42 machine gun used in World War 2 was a certainly surprise however it poses much less risk than some of the other items handed in.

“For example, the easily concealed Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol, which has been illegal in the UK for over 20 years, and the 150 rounds of accompanying ammunition that someone found in their shed, could have devastating consequences if this ended up in criminal hands.

“Thankfully this is now in our possession and it will be destroyed.”

The MG42 was built in Nazi Germany and could fire around 1,200 rounds per minute.

Police also received 41 lots of ammunition, including 450 shotgun cartridges and more than 150 9mm pistol rounds; 17 air weapons including eight rifles, eight pistols and a gas gun; two BB Guns; three starting pistols; a replica 8mm pistol and four realistic looking toy guns.

Abergavenny had the most surrenders with 26 followed by Blackwood with 18 and Cwmbran with 16.

Weapons were surrendered from as far away as Gloucestershire.

During the first surrender since 2014 members of the public were urged to surrender any unwanted, unused or unlicensed firearms at a designated number of stations throughout Gwent.

At the point of surrender owners did not face prosecution for the illegal possession. Surrendered firearms will now undergo forensic testing by specialist officers in order to determine whether they firearms had previously been used in crime.

Anyone with information about people possessing illegal firearms are asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.