South Yorkshire Police to launch amnesty for blank firing firearms next month
It comes after tests on four brands of blank guns found they could be easily converted into real firearms
South Yorkshire Police is set to launch an amnesty for blank firing firearms next month, as part of a national crackdown.
It's after tests by the National Crime Agency (NCA) found four brands of top-venting blank firearms, which are legal to buy in the UK, are readily convertible into real guns.
The four Turkish models, named Retay, Ekol, Ceonic ISSC and Blow, could be modified to fire real ammunition "with common tools and without specialist skills" according to the NCA.
The amnesty will be held from February 3 until 28, with owners being encouraged to hand them in at police stations at Main Street in Rotherham, Snig Hill in Sheffield, College Road in Doncaster and Churchfields in Barnsley.
Detective Inspector Claire Moss, of South Yorkshire Police's Armed Crime Team, said:
“I would urge anybody with one of the four brands of blank firing weapons to visit one of the locations in February and hand it in.
“These types of weapons make up a large proportion of firearms discharges and recoveries in South Yorkshire over the last two years. Getting them off the streets of South Yorkshire is a priority.
“If you remain in possession of one of these illegal weapons, not only do you risk being handed a considerable jail sentence, but you are also posing a danger to innocent members of your local community.”