Police urge women to hand in loved ones' weapons

Police are urging mums, sisters and girlfriends across South Yorkshire to hand over their loved ones' weapons.

The force has joined a national two-week surrender in the fight against violent crime.

During that time, people can hand in weapons like guns and knives without being prosecuted for possessing them.

This year they’re urging the women behind the weapons to help get them off the streets:

“To the mothers, daughters, girlfriends… you know where these weapons are, and I know that you want to keep your loved ones safe, so now’s the time to hand them in,” says Detective Superintendent Una Jennings.

“It’s a surprise to no one that it is invariably young men that end up involved in this type of criminal activity. So I’m asking people to think about the consequences of this type of crime, for you and the victims your involved with and the families.

“To be clear, the use of weapons across South Yorkshire will not be tolerated.”

Both a regional weapons and national firearms surrender start today and will end at 11.59pm on Sunday 26 November.

During the surrender, you will not face prosecution for possession of the weapon at the point of handing it in at any of the designated police stations across Yorkshire.

All the weapons surrendered will be forensically examined though, and an investigation will be launched with potential prosecutions if a weapon is found to have been previously used in a crime.

Weapons can include but are not limited to: air weapons, BB guns, handguns, antique firearms, imitation firearms, ammunition, knives, samurai swords, machetes, switchblades and daggers.