Chance to surrender firearms and ammo

HALTON residents are being urged to hand in unwanted guns and ammunition as part of nationwide firearms surrender.

The initiative allows people the chance to safely dispose of firearms or ammunition, whether held lawfully or unlawfully, without the risk of being prosecuted for illegally possessing a gun.

The surrender runs from Monday, November 13, to Sunday, November 26, and Widnes Police Station on Gerrard Street is one of the locations across Cheshire where firearms or ammunition can be handed over.

All the weapons handed to officers will be examined to ensure that they have not been used in any criminal offences, before being deactivated and destroyed.

Inspector Dave Price said: “Gun crime in Cheshire is low and that’s the way we want to keep it, which is why I would urge people to use this surrender as an opportunity to hand over any unwanted firearms.

“Whether that’s an illegal firearm that they have in their possession, a ● Halton residents can hand over firearms and ammunition at Widnes Police Station, right, without the risk of being prosecuted licensed firearm that they no longer used or a war-time family relic that they don’t know what to do with.

“By handing any unwanted firearms over to us we can ensure that they are disposed of safely and don’t get into the wrong hands.”

Warrington Police Station on Arpley Street is also another close location where Halton residents can hand over weapons.

A Cheshire police spokesman said: “It can often be the case that some people have a firearm longforgotten and gathering dust in a loft or shed, while others don’t realise the firearm they have needs to be legally registered with police.

“Others are acquired illegally and distributed by criminal networks to harm, threaten and intimidate.”

As opposed to an amnesty, the surrender means that people can hand in guns they should not have without being prosecuted for firearms possession.

However, the surrender does not give an amnesty for the weapon’s life and previous offences linked to it will be investigated.

Items officers want residents to hand in include illegally-held guns and ammunition, imitation firearms and air guns used for criminal purposes, as well as other unwanted guns and ammunition including air guns and imitations.

Anyone with concerns about illegal weapons can contact Cheshire police on 101 or report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.