Gun Policy News
Realistic airguns, AirSoft toy guns in the media
3D-printed firearm seized in Western Australia
14 June 2022
Armament Research Services (ARES), Web page
On 12 June 2022, the Western Australia Police Force (WAPOL) held a press conference to present the first fully functional 3D-printed firearm seized in the Australian state of Western Australia (WA) to date. The gun was reportedly seized on 3 June 2022 from an 18-year-old individual who had manufactured it at his home in the suburb of Bayswater, WA. In addition to the firearm, WAPOL reportedly also found a 3D printer, a suppressor, ammunition, and a set-up to make... (GunPolicy.org)
The Origins of Illegal Firearms in the UK - BBC Reality Check
10 May 2018
BBC News
Over the bank holiday weekend, a spate of shootings across England hit the headlines. They add to a picture of rising gun crime, after more than a decade of big decreases.
Although gun-related offences have risen for the past four years, there were still less than half as many gun crimes in England and Wales last year as there were in the early 2000s.
Where Do the Guns Come From?
Guns are very tightly controlled in the UK. Those that end up on the black market often... (GunPolicy.org)
How Rare Illegal Firearms Find Their Way Onto British Streets
20 June 2016
The Conversation (UK)
How it is possible to get hold of weapons in Britain despite tough laws that restrict their ownership and use? This strict firearm legislation, enacted chiefly through the Firearms Act 1968 and amendments following the 1987 Hungerford mass shooting and 1996 Dunblane mass shoting, has reduced the number of purpose-made firearms in circulation. This has contributed to the number of firearms offences (including those using airguns and air rifles) falling from a high of... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than 800 Firearms Surrendered in UK Gun Amnesty
22 April 2016
BBC News
More than 800 firearms were handed in during a two-week guns amnesty launched after a spate of shootings in Salford.
Police urged people to "give up the gun" during the firearms and ammunition surrender across Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire and North Wales.
Rifles, handguns, air weapons and a number of imitation and antique firearms were collected.
Unusual items included a replica AK-47 and a Smith & Wesson pistol.
There has been a... (GunPolicy.org)
England: More than 1,500 Children Suspected of Gun Crimes
29 March 2016
BBC News
Children as young as 10 were among hundreds of youngsters arrested for suspected gun crimes in the last three years, new data has revealed.
More than 1,500 children were held over alleged firearm offences between 2013 and January 2016.
Among the figures, the Metropolitan Police made 679 arrests, while seven children aged under 11 were held in Nottinghamshire.
The number of arrests rose by 20% last year, the Press Association said.
The data, obtained under the... (GunPolicy.org)
Netherlands Police Seize 24,000 Guns, Ammunition Since 2013
5 October 2015
NL Times
Police have seized nearly 24,000 illegal guns, fake guns, starter pistols and ammunition over the past two and half years, with an increase in the number of heavy weapons. Police told NOS that they find this very disconcerting.
On average, 741 illegal firearms are seized monthly, with rifles, pistols and revolvers making up almost 50 percent of this total. Since 2013 seizure of imitation firearms is approximated to be around 4,300.
Hans Vissers from the National... (GunPolicy.org)
Bill to Regulate 3D Guns Introduced to Queensland Govt
23 May 2014
Yahoo! 7 News (Australia)
The Palmer United Party (PUP) has introduced legislation to Queensland Parliament proposing to regulate the creation and possession of 3D printed firearms.
If passed, the laws would be an Australian first, making it a punishable offence to make, buy or possess 3D firearms.
PUP MP Carl Judge told State Parliament last night he was concerned the new printing method could be used by criminals.
Mr Judge said the private member's bill included a licensing scheme, as well... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa,China,Russia,United States,Mozambique
South African Gun Culture Shown in Art
11 April 2014
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)
Best known as the director of the 2008 South African crime film Jerusalema and for his music video work with such top stars as Tony Braxton and Michael Jackson, Ralph Ziman's new art installation Ghosts is a powerful comment on the global arms trade and the worship of guns in South African society.
The work includes an extraordinary series of photographs showing men dressed in Day-Glo outfits toting wire-and-bead AK-47s, which are exhibited alongside the imitation... (GunPolicy.org)
New Law in New Zealand Restricts Access to Imitation Guns
13 December 2013
New Zealand Herald
You can buy real-looking guns for just a fistful of dollars at a $2 shop.
The Herald did just that. The cheapest was $45 and looked like a real pistol. It doesn't fire bullets - but when cocked using the same action as a real automatic pistol, it will fire a small, plastic BB sphere.
When we took the gun to police, they explained it still had a deadly potential but instead of being potentially fatal for the target, it was the wielder of the weapon who faced the... (GunPolicy.org)
Imitation Guns Illegal in Malaysia, Police Give Public One Month to Surrender
26 November 2013
New Straits Times (Malaysia)
KUALA LUMPUR - All imitation firearms, including those used for sports activities and without licences, must be surrendered to police within a month.
Federal police Logistics Department director Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah said all imitation firearms, which resembled genuine ones, must be turned in.
He said the public was given until Dec 25 to do so at any district police headquarters.
Following their surrender, he said owners could apply for a "use and carry" licence... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Crack Down on China's Online Gun Sales
25 November 2013
Global Times (China)
Peng Di (pseudonym), an engineer from Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, did not expect to spend the rest of his life in prison or face the death penalty, for a hobby.
Despite the fact that China has many gun enthusiasts, the hobby has its risks. Peng went further than simply studying guns and decided to buy 1,300 air gun pellets online from a US vendor in 2011.
Peng was charged with smuggling ammunition after he bought over 1,000 non-military bullets from... (GunPolicy.org)
79 Guns Seized from Welsh County in Three Years, Most for 'Licensing Issues'
20 November 2013
News North Wales
Police chiefs have defended Wrexham's gun record after figures revealed 79 firearms have been seized across the county in the past three years.
North Wales Police (NWP) said Wrexham "does not have a gun problem" after statistics showed 29 firearms had been seized by officers so far this year, including a haul of 18 shotguns and two handguns.
Of those 29 guns confiscated in 2013, 16 were taken by officers at a criminal incident location.
The figures come after a major... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Court Rules Stiffer Gun Sentences Unconstitutional, Govt to Appeal
12 November 2013
Toronto Star (Ontario)
The mandatory minimum sentences for possession of firearms brought in by the Conservative government in 2008 are unconstitutional, ruled the Ontario Court of Appeal in decisions released Tuesday morning.
They are "cruel and unusual punishment" and "grossly disproportionate," found the five-judge panel unanimously.
The sentencing laws struck down are part of Section 95, covering possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm or unloaded with ammunition easily... (GunPolicy.org)
'Cottage Industry' Feeds Illegal Gun Trade in Canada
24 October 2013
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
Some B.C. residents are capitalizing on the illicit gun trade by making gun parts and even firearms to sell to local criminals.
Cpl. Frank Grosspietsch of the RCMP's National Weapons Enforcement Support Team said a "cottage industry" has sprung up in B.C. in recent years among people willing to arm gangsters and other criminals.
B.C.-made noise suppressors - which muffle gunshots and are commonly and inaccurately called silencers - have been used in recent murders,... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippines Election Ban Continues, Nearly 3,000 Guns, Ammo Seized
17 October 2013
Sun Star (Philippines)
Almost 3,000 firearms and ammunition were confiscated by authorities nationwide in the on-going implementation of the gun ban for the October 28 baranagay elections.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson Sixto Brillantes said that based on the latest assessment from the Philippine National Police (PNP), a total of 2,983 firearms, ammunition and other explosives were seized in various operations and checkpoints placed across the archipelago.
Included in these... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa to Implement New Weapons Act in 2014, Bans Imitation Guns
10 October 2013
Xinhua
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa will implement the Dangerous Weapons Act early next year, the Presidency announced on Wednesday.
President Zuma has decided that the Dangerous Weapons Act will come into effect on Jan. 2, 2014, the Presidency said, adding that the act will seek to prohibit the possession of dangerous weapons, firearms or replicas or imitation firearms in public.
Replicas will also be outlawed as in most cases people robbed by an armed group where only one... (GunPolicy.org)
Bermuda Police Seize Crime Guns Under 'Bounty Programme'
27 July 2013
Royal Gazette (Bermuda)
Police have seized nine guns linked to a slew of firearms offences this year.
And that statistic shows that a gun bounty initiative introduced in May has "delivered results", according to Public Safety Minister Michael Dunkley.
In a statement delivered in the House of Assembly yesterday, Mr Dunkley said that five conventional handguns, two air pistols and two imitation firearms had been taken off the streets.
"As a result of forensic examination, one firearm has been... (GunPolicy.org)
Officials Seize 8 Imitation Guns Illegally Imported to Malaysia
19 June 2013
Borneo Post
IPOH - Perak Customs seized eight imitation firearms which were imported without permit, at the General Post Office here on Saturday.
State Customs Department director Datuk Mohd Nasir Said said during an inspection carried out by a Customs team at about noon, they seized among others an imitation M16 gun, MP5, air rifle, Glock and automatic Colt 45 pistols.
"The five high quality imitation firearms were estimated to be worth RM2,043.90 and duties involved amounted to... (GunPolicy.org)
Malay Officials say Illegal Airsoft Guns Easily Available Online
19 June 2013
Star (Malaysia)
PETALING JAYA - Airsoft guns are fast gaining popularity in Malaysia, especially among those who enjoy tactical wargames.
Airsoft weapons are new generation BB (bird bullet) guns, a type of air-powered gun designed to shoot projectiles.
The AEG (airsoft electric gun) and accessories are sold together with other military-like gears and tactical equipment that come complete with holsters and military-like outfits including boots.
They can be easily bought online... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Anti-Gun Campaigner Admits Firearms Offence
7 June 2013
BBC News
An anti-gun campaigner has admitted possessing an imitation gun after a dispute that saw police seal off part of Liverpool city centre.
Stephen French, 53, of Eleanor Park, Prenton, was arrested after armed officers responded to an argument on Water Street in March.
French, who also admitted possessing a bladed weapon, will be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on 3 July.
In 2008 he said he wanted to stop the spread of guns in Merseyside.
French was arrested after... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Amnesty Begins in Canadian Province
30 May 2013
CBC News (Canada)
Police in B.C. will begin collecting unauthorized and unwanted guns on Saturday, as part of a month-long firearms amnesty program they say will help remove guns from communities and reduce the risk they could fall into the hands of criminals.
RCMP Insp. Brad Haugli said officers often encounter cases in which tragedy could have been averted if guns were not involved.
"As someone who has lost a loved one to suicide by firearm, I know that devastation first-hand,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Opinion: Why Real Guns That Look Like Toys Should be Banned
9 May 2013
Washington Post, Opinion
CHICAGO — Two summers ago, my husband and I took our sons to a shooting range for multiple days of firearms training with a certified instructor. Our logic was simple: In our low-income community with lots of gang activity, it was laughable to imagine that our boys wouldn't someday find themselves in a situation where a pal had brought a gun to school or asked them to come see his parents' gun.
Did we want them to clumsily handle a deadly weapon — seduced by the... (GunPolicy.org)
Concerns Grow Over Korean Gun Violence
21 April 2013
Korea Herald
Calls for more stringent regulations on guns are mounting in the wake of four shooting incidents within a month in a nation that many believed to be free from the dangers of firearms.
On Tuesday, a 42-year-old man shot a 38-year-old man who had an affair with his wife with an air gun in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. He had held the weapon for years to fend off wild animals.
The three other cases involved unauthorized guns. On the previous day, a man in his 30s... (GunPolicy.org)
Concerns Raised as Convicted Bermuda Gunmen get Reduced Sentences
27 March 2013
Royal Gazette (Bermuda), Opinion
The Court of Appeal made two decisions last week which won't have escaped the attention of anyone worried about spiralling gun violence in this country.
As reported in The Royal Gazette on Friday, 22-year-old armed robber Jaron Roberts had his sentence for a crime spree involving an imitation firearm cut by almost a third.
And gunman Marico Bassett, also aged 22 and serving 25 years in prison for shooting Randy Lightbourne, was told he'd be eligible for parole two... (GunPolicy.org)
Irish Engineer Jailed for Reactivating, Modifying Firearms
23 March 2013
Irish News
A Newry engineer who reactivated guns for paramilitaries was operating a large-scale munitions factory for dissident republicans, police have said.
Bryan Christopher McManus (56) was yesterday jailed for more than three years.
Ordering McManus to spend half a six-and-a-half year sentence in jail and half on licence parole, Belfast Recorder Judge David McFarland told him he had "made a very bad decision to associate with undesirable elements".
The judge at Belfast... (GunPolicy.org)
Malaysian 'Sect' Leader Charged Over Imitation Guns, Swords
29 January 2013
Star (Malaysia)
JASIN - A man believed to be the leader of an alleged deviant sect claimed trial at the Magistrate's court here Tuesday to two separate charges of possessing a cache of dangerous weapons and imitation firearms.
Mohd Jaffar Robani, 46, was alleged to have in his possession 29 swords, 11 machetes, three knives and a spear.
He faced charges under Section 7(1)(a) of the Corrosive, Explosive and Dangerous Weapons Act 1958, which carries a two-year jail sentence and fine of... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Police Support 'More Distinctive' Fake Guns After Toy Causes Seige
22 November 2012
Stuff (New Zealand)
One can kill while the other is a toy, but police are finding it increasingly difficult to tell the difference as fake firearms become more realistic.
Armed police raided a house in the Wellington suburb of Johnsonville on Tuesday after a member of the public reported seeing a gun being pointed through a window.
It turned out the gun was a toy given as a 10th birthday present. A man, 21, has been charged with possession of an imitation firearm.
Last year, film-makers... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Youth with Replica Gun Risked Fatal Outcome say Police
13 November 2012
BBC News
A teenager carrying a replica pistol in Birmingham could have faced "fatal consequences" when he was caught by armed officers, police have said.
Armed officers drew their weapons when the 15-year-old reached for the gun after a chase.
West Midlands Police said they got a 999 call just after 21:30 GMT on Monday reporting a youth carrying a handgun near Moor Street station.
Ch Insp Paul Minor said the teenager had had a "lucky escape".
After the initial emergency call... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Youths Arrested over Illegal Airgun Shooting
2 November 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Police have issued a warning about the illegal use of replica guns after a teenager used one to shoot plastic bullets at members of the Liberal party in the canton of Valais.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening in Sierre when a youth in a car driven by a friend used an "airsoft" gun to fire on party members assembled outside a restaurant for a meeting, Valais cantonal police said.
Four people were injured by the plastic bullets, some in the face and one in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Indonesian Men Arrested for Alleged Unlicenced Replica Gun Selling
22 October 2012
Jakarta Globe
Jakarta Police arrested two men accused of selling unlicensed airsoft guns on social networking sites last week.
The men, identified only as "D" and "A.G.," were stood next to a table of realistic-looking airsoft guns in a press conference on Monday.
Police seized 187 airsoft guns, including replicas of pistols and assault rifles, in the raid.
"They sold the guns at fairly low prices, from Rp 3 million ($312) to Rp 6 million for the [assault rifles]," Jakarta... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 1200 Illegal Guns Handed in to South Australia Amnesty
17 September 2012
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
More than 1200 illegal and unwanted firearms have been surrendered to the state as part of SA's gun amnesty.
So far, 60 handguns, 1091 Class A or B firearms and 43 Class C or D guns have been delivered to various police stations across South Australia since the amnesty started on August 1.
More than 70 imitation weapons and seven prescribed firearms - including sawn-off rifles have also been handed in.
Attorney-General John Rau said the response had been overwhelming... (GunPolicy.org)
Eastern Europe,United Kingdom,Germany
UK Gangs Use Fake Guns, Real Ammo, Police Blame Smuggling
17 July 2012
Manchester Evening News (UK)
A tide of converted replica firearms began flooding the underworld in the first decade of the 21th century.
In the late nineties and early noughties, the weapon of choice had been the machine gun, as automatic weapons, many of them from former Eastern Bloc countries, were smuggled to the port of Liverpool before washing up in Manchester's gangland.
The MAC-10 was a particularly deadly weapon favoured by the gangs of Longsight and Moss Side.
One Manchester gang... (GunPolicy.org)
Deaths Show Guns Remain Available Despite Chinese Police Crack Down
11 July 2012
Global Times (China)
Early on July 1, a 48-year-old factory boss surnamed Nan was shot through the head while on the way to do his morning exercise in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. He later died in hospital. Police later announced that they found the murderer surnamed Lin who was found dead with a gun beside his body. The two were involved in a dispute over money that resulted in the murder.
The case sparked fresh concerns on gun use in China, coming so shortly after the country launched an... (GunPolicy.org)
Uzi, AK47 and More Seized by West Midland, UK Police Over Last 12 Months
27 June 2012
Daily Mail (UK)
This shocking array of firearms is just part of the terrifying arsenal of weapons seized by a police force in just the last year.
The deadly haul of guns collected from the streets of the West Midlands include an Uzi, AK47 and an exact replica of the handgun used by Saddam Hussain.
The myriad of over a hundred fierce firearms - some of which are modified or homemade - have been seized by, or been surrendered to, West Midland's Police over the last 12 months.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than 100,000 Illegal Guns Destroyed in 150 Chinese Cities
13 June 2012
China Daily
Police in 150 Chinese cities destroyed more than 100,000 illegal guns on Tuesday, as part of an ongoing crackdown that officials say is dramatically reducing gun-related crime across the country.
As Ministry of Public Security officials also prepared to dispose of a further 250 tons of illegal explosives in the next few days, Vice-Minister of Public Security Huang Ming said the incidence of both crimes has been declining rapidly.
Gun-related crime has fallen 46... (GunPolicy.org)
Number of Gun-related Crimes Is Dropping Rapidly in China - Police
5 April 2012
China Daily
The number of gun-related crimes is dropping rapidly nationwide, despite a recent spate of armed robberies, police say.
In 2000, police dealt with about 5,000 gun-related crimes across the country. The number dropped to about 500 in 2011, down 46 percent from 2010, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Public Security.
The decrease is mainly due to China's strict policy on gun control and tougher policing measures, said Yan Zhengbin, deputy director of... (GunPolicy.org)
Thousands of Illegal Guns and Replicas Seized, 84 Arrested in China
17 November 2011
Shanghai Daily (China)
Police in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, have smashed an illegal firearms production and trafficking ring, detaining 84 people and seizing 6,990 guns.
In late March, the discovery of three imitation guns during a routine check at a train station in Kunming put police on the trail of the gun-trading network.
Within four months they had confiscated 1,612 guns capable of firing live ammunition and 5,378 replicas.
On April 21, police found a man... (GunPolicy.org)
Dealer Takes Gun for Disposal, Australia Police Find It in Hands of Criminal
4 October 2011
West Australian (Perth)
A double-barrelled shotgun a Perth man gave to a gunsmith for disposal has been found by police at the home of a suspected criminal almost 18 months later.
The gunsmith had modified the weapon so it was unusable.
But former owner Rod, who did not want his surname revealed, said he was concerned because it would look like an operating gun to a potential crime victim.
"It was taken off my licence and I thought it would be crushed or given to police," he said.
"But... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Dealer Trapped After UK Police Set Up Fake Shop in Manchester
4 October 2011
Manchester Evening News (UK)
A gun dealer was trapped after police set up a fake shop selling combat clothing.
Undercover cops posed as shop workers who were looking for lethal weapons in the elaborate sting.
The store was set up after police became concerned at the number of firearms on the streets of Manchester.
After weeks at the store on Princess Road, Moss Side, a gang member customer introduced the plain clothes officers to Marc Billingham, who supplied them with two working guns, an air... (GunPolicy.org)
3 Men Charged with Production and Selling of Imitation Guns in China
15 August 2011
China Daily
XIAMEN, Fujian - Three men in East China's Fujian province have been charged with producing and selling imitation guns following a raid on a toy gun factory in Jinjiang city in July.
You Zhixian, a publicity officer with Jinjiang public security bureau, said the three suspects surnamed Huang, Ge and Chen had been arrested on suspicion of producing and selling imitation guns that could cause injury.
"More than 10,000 imitation firearms were discovered in the factory,"... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Considers Import Ban on Military Weapon Airgun Lookalikes
23 June 2011
New Zealand Herald
A proposal banning imports of airguns that look like the military weapons will have little impact on the the number available or on criminals using them to intimidate people, parliament has been told.
The Arms (Military Style Semi-automatic Firearms And Import Controls) Amendment Bill would ban importing airguns that look like real pistols, military-style semi-automatics (MSSAs) or restricted weapons - unless a police permit is granted.
The bill, which is before the... (GunPolicy.org)
Imitation Guns for Real Robberies in France: Loopholes in the Law? [Fr]
14 June 2011
L'Express (France)
[Translated summary: An increasing number of robberies and attacks are committed with imitation guns. One of these even lead to the death of a young man, when police shot the 19yr-old boy thinking that his imitation gun was a real gun. However, amendments to the French Law on this matter keep on being delayed.]
Un nombre croissant de braquages et d'agressions sont commis avec des armes factices. Pourtant, la loi tarde à s'adapter à ce phénomène.
Le 23 février... (GunPolicy.org)
Cayman Islands Police Holding a Gun Amnesty to Reduce Gun Crimes
8 June 2011
Cayman News Service (Cayman Islands)
Police will be holding a month long amnesty on firearms this July in an effort to repeat last year's success. Detective Superintendent Marlon Bodden said that this time the amnesty would be promoted at a local level through a series of town hall meetings where police would discuss the issue of gun crime with residents in the community. He told CNS Wednesday morning that he believed the reason why there had been no murders in the Cayman Islands so far in 2011 was because... (GunPolicy.org)
Los Angeles Police Department Seeks Tighter Regulations on Airguns
7 June 2011
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck is proposing that the city require BB-gun replicas of actual firearms to be brightly colored so that police officers don't mistake them for real weapons.
The proposal, which the Los Angeles Police Commission will consider Tuesday, comes after two shootings involving officers and people with replica weapons, including one in which a teenager was wounded. Under the new rule, all such toys sold in Los Angeles would have the "entire... (GunPolicy.org)
Los Angeles Police Want Airguns and Imitation Guns to Be Brightly Painted
6 June 2011
San Francisco Chronicle / AP
LOS ANGELES, California - The Los Angeles Police Department wants BB guns and imitation firearms to look a lot less like the real thing.
In a memo set for review Tuesday by members of the Police Commission, police Chief Charlie Beck is asking for a new city ordinance that would require handgun-style BB guns and imitation weapons to be brightly colored.
Capt. William Hart says the move follows two police shootings last year where the suspect was seen with what turned... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Dealers: NZ New Laws on Imports of Imitation Guns Will Be Ineffective
14 May 2011
3 News (New Zealand)
The owner of the country's biggest gun store says new rules aimed at restricting imports of airguns which replicate the real thing will do little to reduce crime.
An amendment to the Arms Act will mean people who import replica airguns must first obtain a permit from the commissioner of police.
David Tipple imports around 10,000 airguns every year and he now fears around 20 percent or 2,000 of those guns will require a permit before he can bring them in.
"Under the... (GunPolicy.org)
Imitation Handguns, Assault Weapons Face New Zealand Import Curbs
15 April 2011
New Zealand Press Association
The Government is to tighten import controls on airguns that look like real pistols, military style semi-automatic firearms (MSSAs) or restricted weapons.
Police Minister Judith Collins said replicas were frequently used by criminals as they were easily mistaken for real firearms.
"Police estimate that there could be up to one incident a week where a member of the public presents an airgun that looks like a real pistol, MSSA, or restricted weapon requiring an armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Deadly Arsenal of Self Confessed British 'Gun Fanatic' Jailed for 16 Years
8 April 2011
Daily Mail (UK)
It is a fearsome array of weapons including a Kalashnikov, Uzi sub-machine gun, shotguns and pistols.
But this astonishing arsenal was not seized from a gang of organised criminals, but the private collection of a fruit and veg trader.
David Evans had claimed he only bought replica weapons to use for 'war games' in his loft, where he kitted out mannequins with imitation guns to recreate scenes from war movies such as Saving Private Ryan.
But yesterday the... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Alberta Gun Owner in Fantasy World, Faces Jail for Illegal Arsenal
27 January 2011
Calgary Herald (Alberta)
CALGARY - John Sattler told police after they seized a cache of restricted and prohibited weapons from his northwest Calgary home nearly two years ago that he was the "master of war."
He also referred to himself as "the biggest hit man in the world and the smartest," and said he owned about 10 rocket launchers and "was thinking about shooting down the police helicopter because he thought it would be funny."
Facing 75 criminal charges on Thursday, Sattler, 48, pleaded... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,United States,Scotland
Gun Control and Ownership Laws in the UK
2 November 2010
BBC News
Derrick Bird, who shot dead 12 people in Cumbria, had held a firearms licence for 20 years.
The taxi driver - who also injured 11 others before turning the gun on himself - had a shotgun certificate and a firearms licence for weapons for pest control and to go clay pigeon shooting.
In the official police review of the tragedy, the country's top firearms licensing officer has said that Bird fulfilled the necessary requirements for issuing the licences.
But are there... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns 'Easily Available' in Sheffield, But Most Are Still Imitation Firearms
25 October 2010
BBC News
Guns are easily available to young people "in the know" in Sheffield, according to a report into gangs.
The Youth Offending Service report was carried out in June in response to the 2008 murder of Tarek Chaiboub, 17, who was shot by gang members in Burngreave.
It warns there is a "misconception" that guns are difficult to obtain in Sheffield and states the problems must remain a high priority for agencies.
Police said they worked to keep the city safe but gangs would... (GunPolicy.org)
Armed Robberies with Toy Pistol Earn Australian Felon 12 Years in Jail
21 October 2010
Sydney Morning Herald
John Whitta was walking past a credit union when he saw a masked man inside, holding up the tellers with a replica pistol.
The 62-year-old confronted the bandit, Kevin John Moore, telling him: "It's no good getting the girls to hurry because you're not getting out the door. You've gotta get past me."
When Moore tried to run, Mr Whitta crash tackled him to the ground. Another passer-by admonished the pair for fighting, saying: "Come on, it's Christmas time. Break it... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Predict 'Someone Will Be Shot' Unless More NZ Airguns Controlled
11 October 2010
Dominion Post (Wellington)
Replica firearms not covered by a law change coming into effect this week could just as easily cost a life if they appear real, police warn after incidents in Napier.
Napier Detective Sergeant Emmet Lynch and his colleagues have dealt with three firearms in the past week that were either replicas or looked like more powerful weapons.
One, a rifle that fires slug pellets, was used in a random drive-by shooting in which a man was shot in the stomach while socialising... (GunPolicy.org)
National Election Gun Ban in Philippines Includes Airguns, Pellet Guns
28 September 2010
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Air guns, pellet guns, and airsoft guns are covered by the current gun ban for the Oct. 25 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, a Commission on Elections official said Tuesday.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said these guns were included because they fall under the definition of a gun as "any device that propels a projectile or a slug."
"For the most part, the slug is chemically propelled. But the definition of a gun also includes weapons that fire... (GunPolicy.org)
Imitation, Toy Guns to be Licensed, Locked Away Under Queensland Law
4 August 2010
Courier-Mail (Brisbane)
Any item that looks like a gun will have to be licensed under several changes to the Weapons Act being considered by the Queensland State Government.
Even guns made out of materials as unlikely as soap or plastic may have to be kept under lock and key if they could "reasonably be taken to be a weapon".
The draft act says an imitation is a "reasonable copy" of a weapon that is not capable of causing death or injury.
"If it looks like a gun and feels like a gun, it... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Raid UK Home-made Gun Factory, Seize More Than 50 Firearms
10 June 2010
Ashington Journal (UK)
Police have seized more than 50 firearms after raiding a suspected homemade gun factory.
Armed officers stormed the flat in Northumberland after a tip-off.
An arsenal of weapons was recovered from the property in North Seaton, Ashington.
Gary Ray appeared before South East Northumberland Magistrates charged with converting an imitation firearm, and possession, purchase or sale of a prohibited weapon.
The 51-year-old was remanded in custody.
Pensioner Joan Ward,... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian State Mulls Shooters' Party Bill to Weaken Gun Control
7 June 2010
Sydney Morning Herald
The National Coalition for Gun Control says increasing pressure on the NSW government may force it into legislative negotiations with the Shooters Party, which will weaken gun control.
Particularly alarming, it says, are moves to reduce licensing disqualification from 10 to five years following domestic violence orders, and overturning the automatic removal of domestic violence offenders' firearms to be at the police's discretion.
The bill also removes the 28-day... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control and Ownership Laws in the UK - Comprehensive Summary
3 June 2010
BBC News
Derrick Bird, who shot dead 12 people in Cumbria, held a firearms licence for 20 years, it has emerged.
Cumbria Police said the taxi driver had a shotgun certificate and a firearms licence for weapons, and he is understood to have been a licensed firearms holder since the age of 32.
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hyde said the two weapons they had recovered from Bird, a shotgun and a rifle, appeared similar to those described on the licences, but that officers would... (GunPolicy.org)
Amnesty Sparked by UK Shooting Collects, Destroys 'Loose' Guns, Airguns
14 April 2010
BBC News
A gun amnesty has been extended after it began in response to a shooting which left three people dead.
Andrew Copland shot his ex-partner Julie Harrison and their four-year-old daughter Maisie before killing himself in Aldershot, an inquest ruled.
The amnesty in north-east Hampshire has so far seen 57 firearms and 985 rounds of ammunitions handed in.
It has been extended until Sunday for people to hand in unwanted or illegal firearms at nine police stations.
Police... (GunPolicy.org)
Loophole Allows British Arms Dealers to Sell Deactivated Machine Guns
25 January 2010
Birmingham Mail (UK)
As long as you have the cash, you can snap up a deactivated weapon – because the law currently classes them as metal ornaments.
But those with the know-how and the tools can easily reactivate them to fire live ammunition.
Guns on display at the shop have included a Russian Kalashnikov AK-47 machine gun, a British-made World War II era Sten machine gun and a German Luger hand gun.
The Mail found the fearsome looking collection inside the Simply Gifted shop close to... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 1700 Guns Netted in Amnesty, Gun Crime Up Since 2002
14 January 2010
Advertiser (Adelaide)
A Government gun amnesty has taken 1731 unwanted or illegal firearms off the streets and some out of the hands of criminals, Police Minister Michael Wright said.
The three-month amnesty, which ended on December 31 last year, reaped 1025 working guns and 706 imitation firearms.
Opposition spokesman David Ridgway said police statistics showed firearm/weapon offences have increased 20.6 per cent since 2002.
Since 2006, more than 4300 firearms or imitation guns have been... (GunPolicy.org)
Replica Firearms Surrendered in South Australia Amnesty
6 January 2010
ABC News (Australia)
South Australia Police have collected about 700 replica firearms during a three month amnesty with more than 100 confiscated.
It was the first time replica firearms were included in an amnesty after laws were introduced in October making their registration compulsory.
People now found with unregistered replica guns could face up to 15 years in jail.
Chief Inspector Jim Langmead says the result is significant because many are being converted into weapons and used in... (GunPolicy.org)
Essex Police Say 90% of 'Firearm Incidents' Involve Only Imitation Guns
5 December 2009
Daily Mail (UK)
An innocent game of cops and robbers used to provide two benefits - lots of fun and a basic understanding of right and wrong.
But children caught playing with a toy gun today have been warned they face something far more memorable - a raid by armed police marksmen.
Officers have told parents to avoid buying youngsters plastic guns for Christmas in case passers-by mistake them for dangerous weapons.
The warning has been issued by Essex Police, where a spokesman said... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 700 Guns Handed In During Victorian Amnesty
21 November 2009
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
More than 700 guns were among the 1200 weapons handed in to police as part of a statewide amnesty. A total of 53 handguns and 681 long-arms were handed in, as well as 54 imitation firearms.
Victorians also handed over almost 400 knives and 70 other items including crossbows, martial arts weapons and swords.
Most of the guns were handed in at country police stations.
Kyabram easily received the most sharp-edged weapons with 141.
Deputy Commissioner Ken Jones said the... (GunPolicy.org)
New Federal Law Will Prohibit Realistic Imitation Guns in Australia
21 November 2009
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
New national gun laws will outlaw imitation firearms unless shooters hold a special licence to own them.
The move follows a series of attacks using replica guns.
A 10-year-old boy allegedly robbed a Hunter Valley video store with a replica gun two months ago.
Two masked men with replica firearms robbed a fast food outlet in Padstow last month and a 77-year-old driver was robbed of his wallet in Manly by a teenager who was also brandishing a replica gun.
Criminals... (GunPolicy.org)
Former UK Army Sergeant Made Guns for Gangs, Jailed 'Indefinitely'
7 November 2009
Telegraph (UK)
A former Army sergeant, Paul Alexander, who made guns for gangs operating in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, has been jailed indefinitely.
Detectives said Alexander, 53, was a "significant" supplier and had been tracked down following the launch of an operation against gangs in the wake of the shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool two years ago.
Police said they found a gun factory at a house Alexander rented in Bardfield Saling, Essex and his weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Crackdown on Unregistered Imitation Firearms in South Australia
1 October 2009
ABC News (Australia)
The South Australian Government is cracking down on people who have unregistered imitation firearms.
People caught with unregistered or unauthorised imitations will face a maximum of 15 years in jail or a $75,000 fine.
Authorities are concerned that imitations can be converted to fire bullets, and that they are often used in robberies and other crimes.
But an amnesty has been declared until the end of the year.
After that, Premier Mike Rann says the full force of... (GunPolicy.org)
DNA Found on Crime Guns Links More Killings to UK Weapon Maker
26 September 2009
Birmingham Mail (UK)
The fatal shooting of a student gunned down in a Birmingham street earlier this year has been linked to a firearms mastermind who armed UK street gangs.
"Merchant of death" Paul Alexander illegally converted replica weapons into lethal guns and supplied the "assassination kits" to gangs in the north east for as little as £1,500-a-time.
Two of the ex-soldier's weapons were involved in a vicious feud between gangs in Liverpool that led to the murder of innocent... (GunPolicy.org)
Former Soldier, 'Dealer in Death' Made Guns for Use in British Crimes
21 September 2009
BBC News
A former soldier — described in court as a "dealer in death" — has been told he faces a lengthy prison sentence for turning imitation guns into real ones.
Paul Alexander, 53, was due to be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court after admitting firearms offences.
But sentencing was adjourned to allow a background report to be prepared.
The court was told Alexander had operated a "gun factory" in Bardfield Saling, Essex. Forensic tests on the guns linked them to 28... (GunPolicy.org)
Armed Police Out in Force as Fake Guns Cause Chaos in New Zealand
20 September 2009
New Zealand Herald
Armed officers and dog handlers swarmed over two Auckland suburbs yesterday as fake firearms triggered two huge police operations.
An armed offenders unit and dog handlers were among up to 20 officers sent to the first callout, which occurred in Glen Innes about 7am.
Inspector Earle McIntosh said police received reports that a man had got into a fight with fellow guests at an all-night party and threatened them with a shotgun.
The suspect then travelled to a house on... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunmaker to Liverpool Underworld, Torch Gun Maker Jailed for 20 Years
12 September 2009
Times (UK)
A judge called a gunmaker who crafted weapons for Merseyside's gangsters as a "dealer in death" as he jailed him at Liverpool Crown Court for 20 years. David Hampson, 44, who could transform a replica firearm into a handgun in 20 minutes, was caught in a 12-month police undercover operation. His speciality was converting miniature torches into single-shot weapons.
Senior officers in Merseyside Police were jubilant at the severity of the sentence which, they say, will... (GunPolicy.org)
Handguns Banned as Ireland Signs New Gun Control Act Into Law
24 July 2009
Belfast Telegraph
Justice Minister Dermot Ahern has signed new gun control legislation into law.
The act bans handguns in Ireland and also introduces a requirement for referees, background medical checks and standards for the safe keeping of guns in the home for all firearms licence applicants.
It also makes it an offence to brandish a realistic imitation firearm in public.
Mr Ahern says the legislation is designed to halt the emergence of a gun-culture in... (GunPolicy.org)
China Seizes 19,000 Guns, 39,000 Imitation Guns in 'Stability Drive'
20 July 2009
Xinhua
BEIJING — Chinese police have confiscated 19,000 guns and close to 500 tonnes of explosives in a crackdown on explosive and gun-related crimes in the last four months, the Ministry of Public Security announced here Monday.
More than 5,200 people in connection with illegal production and sales of explosives and gun-related crimes were arrested during the campaign, which started in March and ends on Oct. 31, the ministry said on its Website.
The crackdown on... (GunPolicy.org)
Ban Replica Guns Before 'Stupid, Posturing Teenagers' Die in Canada
9 July 2009
Victoria Times Colonist (British Columbia), Editorial
Replica guns serve no necessary legitimate purpose. They are used in robberies and to intimidate and are carried by young people who apparently find the idea of playing with pretend guns amusing.
The knockoff handguns are a nightmare for police, who have no way of knowing whether they are dealing with a deadly threat or a stupid, posturing teenager or young man. Officers must make an almost instant decision with potentially deadly consequences.
In 2006, Burnaby RCMP... (GunPolicy.org)
To Beat Ban, Irish Gun Dealers Sell Off Fake AK-47s, Assault Weapons
30 June 2009
Connacht Sentinel (Galway)
Exact replicas of deadly handguns and AK47s are being flogged at knockdown prices by dealers in Galway ahead of a limited ban, which is expected to be introduced by the Dáil shortly.
Discounts of up to 50 percent are being offered on highly realistic Glock pistols and sniper rifles by retailers before restrictions are imposed on the sale and use of the items, in an effort to 'beat the ban'.
There are fears that the delay in introducing the legislation will allow... (GunPolicy.org)
Cop Shot Kid Holding Toy Gun: Arkansas Law Would Ban Replica Guns
30 March 2009
Arkansas Democrat Gazette
A bill aimed at reducing the risk of children getting shot by police cleared a state House of Representatives committee Thursday but some questioned whether it would do anything.
House Bill 2160 by Rep. Fred Allen, D-Little Rock, would ban the sale of certain toy guns.
The bill is called the "De Aunta Farrow Imitation Firearms Act."
De Aunta, 12, was fatally shot by West Memphis police on the night of June 22, 2007.
A toy that resembled a semiautomatic handgun... (GunPolicy.org)
Scottish Ministers Attack Westminster 'Inaction' on Airgun Licensing
27 March 2009
BBC News
The Scottish Government has said it will not "sit on its hands" in the face of what it claims is Westminster inaction over firearm laws.
The justice secretary made the claim as he launched a drive to highlight the penalties for air or replica gun crime.
The SNP has called on Westminster to devolve airgun legislation or agree a pilot licensing scheme for air weapons.
The Home Office said it had concerns about firearms law in Scotland differing from England and... (GunPolicy.org)
Of All Guns Seized by Scottish Armed Police, 79% Are Imitations, Airguns
8 March 2009
News of the World (UK)
This week the News of the World was granted exclusive access to Strathclyde Police's elite armed response unit.
Scottish Crime Reporter Graham McKendry went behind the scenes at their training facility — and was put through his paces in a virtual armed raid …
Armed with a Heckler & Koch machine gun, I wait for the signal to go.
A violent criminal, believed to be carrying a weapon, has been spotted in a shopping mall.
According to intelligence reports, he has... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Moves to Penalise Sellers of Realistic Imitation Guns, Airguns
11 January 2009
New York Times
MEXICO CITY — Over the Christmas holidays, Othón Cuevas Córdova, a Mexican congressman, had his life threatened, albeit in jest. His young nephew pointed a toy pistol that he had received as a gift at the lawmaker and said, "Tío, I'm going to kill you."
Mr. Cuevas was not amused. He talked to the boy's parents about the inappropriateness of giving a child a weapon, even a plastic one, in a country so overrun with violence. And he sped up the introduction in... (GunPolicy.org)
Genuine Handguns So Rare in UK, Converted Gas Guns Now the Rage
24 November 2008
New Statesman
The blanket ban on handguns following the massacre of 16 children in Dunblane in 1996 means Britain has some of the toughest controls yet street gun crime has risen inexorably
If you get shot today in London, Manchester or Liverpool, chances the weapon will be a converted handgun.
The conviction of a 13 year-old boy in south London last week for possession of a converted Russian CS gas pistol, highlighted the pervasive use of these weapons and underlined the... (GunPolicy.org)
2,400 Weapons Handed In to Victoria Police Firearm Amnesty
19 November 2008
Australian Associated Press
A cricket stump with screws sticking out of it and two historic 1840s pistols are among more than 2,400 weapons handed in to Victorian police during an amnesty.
Guns, knives and other weapons, like a 19th century police sword, pistol silencer and numchuckers were handed in to Victorian police stations during October.
Police gave people the opportunity to hand in unwanted, unregistered or illegal weapons without questions being asked or any danger of penalty or... (GunPolicy.org)
Replica Glock Pistols Spark New Zealand Police Warning
5 November 2008
Papakura Courier
An upsurge in young people "mucking around" with replica guns has Papakura police worried someone will end up hurt or worse.
Senior sergeant Mike McIlraith says police have had three callouts in the past week to youths brandishing weapons in public.
The guns turned out to be replicas, he says, but police procedure is to assume they're real.
In these callouts "it's prudent for us to take precautions by arming ourselves" so anyone carrying replica weapons in public is... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Police Call for Restrictions on Airgun Ownership After Woman Killed
24 October 2008
TV3 National News
How dangerous are airguns? Police say they can easily kill people at short range, and they are worried at how easily they can be bought — owners do not even need a firearms licence.
The police are not saying what sort of airgun the shot Whangarei woman was armed with, but airguns now range from the benign BB gun to gas-compressed ones with the power to kill.
And it was a single shot from an airgun that killed police officer Don Wilkinson six weeks ago as he fled... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Culture, Gun Crime on the Rise, But Still Officially Hidden in China
13 October 2008
Wall Street Journal
SHANGHAI — China's weapons laws are among the world's toughest. Its blanket ban on private ownership of rifles, pistols and even gun replicas is a core tenet of social policy. Still, a gun culture is taking hold.
China may be freer from gun crime than many nations, and official statistics show overall crime on a continuous down trend. Yet, these days, reports about gun crimes turn up as often as several times a week even in the tightly controlled state-run media. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Tighter New Zealand Gun Law Mooted in Wake of Airgun, Toy Gun Deaths
9 October 2008
Otago Daily Times
Police have warned parents not to be fooled into thinking airguns they give their children are toys.
The warning came several weeks after an undercover police officer was shot dead in Auckland with a high-powered air rifle and as the government moved to tighten the law on airguns.
Police national manager of firearms licensing and vetting, Inspector Joe Green, said up to 100,000 airguns were in the country which were replicas of real firearms, including rifles and... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Man Guilty of Converting 'Safe' Machine Guns Linked to 52 Shootings
27 August 2008
BBC News
A man has been found guilty of turning replica guns into live weapons linked to more than 50 shootings, including the murder of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky.
Grant Wilkinson, 34, was convicted at Reading Crown Court of seven offences of converting and supplying firearms linked to at least eight murders.
Wilkinson, of no fixed abode, adapted replica Mac-10 guns in a shed in Three Mile Cross, near Reading, Berkshire.
Since the trial police have linked an east London... (GunPolicy.org)
Criminals Now 'Struggle to Get Hold of Firearms in Britain,' Says Study
27 August 2008
BBC News
Grant Wilkinson was able to walk in to a legitimate dealer and buy 90 replica guns legally, obtain the tools and with seemingly little know-how convert them into deadly weapons for his own gain.
Wilkinson was found guilty at Reading Crown Court of seven firearm offences in relation to converting Mac-10 sub machine guns into live weapons at The Briars in Three Mile Cross, near Reading.
His co-accused, Gary Lewis, was cleared of all charges.
The weapons have been... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gun Shop Sold 90 Convertible Machine Pistols 'For James Bond Film'
1 August 2008
BBC News
A man accused of buying 90 replica guns and converting them into live weapons told an arms dealer they were needed for a James Bond film, a court heard.
Grant Wilkinson, 34, used a fake name to buy replica Mac-10 submachine guns, Reading Crown Court was told on Friday.
He and co-defendant Gary Lewis, 38, are accused of converting the guns, which went on to be used in eight murders.
The firearms were linked with a total of 51 incidents, the prosecution say. Both... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Men Activated 90 Machine Guns, Linked to 51 Shootings, 8 Murders
30 July 2008
BBC News
Two men ran an illegal gun factory to turn replica guns into live weapons later used in 51 shootings including eight murders, a court has heard.
Grant Wilkinson, 34, and Gary Lewis, 38, deny nine charges of firearms offences after the discovery of weapons and ammunition near Reading last July.
Mr Wilkinson bought 90 replica guns in 2004, which he told the dealer were for a James Bond film, the jury heard.
But the prosecution told Reading Crown Court the guns were... (GunPolicy.org)
Popularity of Imitation Guns Alarms Police: Airguns Injure 20,000 a Year
21 June 2008
Washington Post
An alarm went off one night at Potowmack Elementary School in Sterling, and a surveillance camera recorded the scene: five intruders in masks and hoods darting through hallways and corridors, their assault rifles pointed.
In minutes, sheriff's deputies arrived, their own guns loaded and drawn.
Only after the gunmen were taken into custody did deputies discover that the assault rifles were replicas — so-called "airsoft" guns that shoot lightweight plastic BBs — and... (GunPolicy.org)
Fifteen US States Consider 'Silly' Laws to Ban, Restrict Imitation Guns
3 May 2008
Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Concerns that realistic-looking toy weapons are confusing police and threatening safety have led 15 states to try going beyond gun control and cracking down on fake firearms.
Officer Micheal Hoover knows a fair amount about guns as a sniper instructor for a Tennessee SWAT team. He recalls the night two years ago when a car pulled up beside him on a highway and the passenger waved what looked like an Uzi.
"It scared me," he said. "If anyone is... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Retailer Faces $800k Fine for Selling Imitation Guns - Again
11 April 2008
Newsday (New York)
NEW YORK — A retailer that once paid a sizable fine for selling toy guns that looked too real has been accused of peddling hundreds of the forbidden fakes in New York City again.
The City Department of Consumer Affairs says inspectors found more than 800 dark-colored, genuine-looking phony firearms in Party City stores since the fall. City law requires fake guns to be brightly colored to help police officers and others tell them apart from real ones.
Party City... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Destroy Huge Firearm Cache in Scotland
14 March 2008
BBC News
Firearms surrendered to the police are being destroyed in an operation taking place in Edinburgh.
About 800 weapons have been handed over to Lothian and Borders Police over the past six months.
The cache includes shotguns, air weapons, replica guns and other imitation weapons.
Friday's operation will see the guns destroyed using specialist cutting equipment before being taken away for disposal.
Assistant Chief Constable Bill Skelly, of Lothian and Borders Police,... (GunPolicy.org)
Scots Police Destroy 'Huge Cache' of Confiscated Firearms, Imitation Guns
14 March 2008
BBC News
Firearms surrendered to the police are being destroyed in an operation taking place in Edinburgh.
About 800 weapons have been handed over to Lothian and Borders Police over the past six months.
The cache includes shotguns, air weapons, replica guns and other imitation weapons.
Friday's operation will see the guns destroyed using specialist cutting equipment before being taken away for disposal.
Assistant Chief Constable Bill Skelly, of Lothian and Borders... (GunPolicy.org)
'Matter of Time' Before British Bobby Must Shoot Child Holding Imitation Gun
6 March 2008
Telegraph (UK)
The spiralling use of guns among children means it is only a matter of time before an armed officer is faced with shooting a child, the head of a Home Office task force has warned.
The number of young people prosecuted for firearms offences has risen by more than 20 per cent in the past five years — and children as young as eight have been found carrying weapons.
Jon Murphy, the head of the gun crime task force at the Home Office, said the youths involved in gun... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Bans Realistic Imitation Guns: More Than 1,000 Handed Over by Dealers
4 March 2008
BBC News
More than 1,000 fake guns have been handed over to police by shop keepers as part of a month-long initiative to help make Manchester's streets safer.
According to police, people who carry an imitation gun are more likely to be shot by a real weapon as it is almost impossible to tell the difference.
As a result, Greater Manchester Police is urging all owners to give them up.
The plea comes five months after it became illegal to sell, make or import realistic... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Tightens Gun Control, Bans Replica Firearms, Airsoft, Airguns
22 February 2008
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
BERLIN — The German parliament approved tighter gun-control laws on Friday in a move designed to stop the spread of violent crime. The new legislation bans the carrying of replica firearms and so-called airsoft guns as well as certain types of knives.
"The change to the gun control laws will ensure greater security … and counter threatening situations in public places," said Reinhard Grindel, a domestic affairs spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian... (GunPolicy.org)
Spread of Replica Plastic Guns Worries US Police Who May Shoot Owners
18 February 2008
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
When deputies arrived, Sgt. Duane Hendrix's children were in the street outside the Seattle police officer's Pierce County home.
Neighbors had spotted them running around, playing with what, to any casual observer, looked to be handguns. The deputies approached with their own weapons holstered, checked the children's guns and found them to be airsoft pistols, an increasingly popular type of replica gun that fires oversize plastic BBs.
Hendrix says his children have a... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gun Figures Show Real Firearm Crime 'Not Widespread' - BBC Analysis
31 January 2008
BBC News
During 2007, nine young people lost their lives in shootings, including the killing of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool.
According to Home Office figures, there were 59 firearms-related homicides in 2006-07 compared with 49 in the previous year. That is an increase of 18% in just one year. There were 507 serious injuries from firearms — more than one incident a day.
But at the same time, the trend in gun crime overall has been going down.
Overall firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Vast Majority of 'Gun Crime' Involves Imitation Guns or No Guns - UK Police
28 December 2007
Northampton Chronicle (UK)
A top officer for Northamptonshire Police has refuted figures suggesting the force is dealing with one of the biggest increases in gun crime in the country.
In a written Parliamentary answer for the Conservative party, data compiled by the Ministry of Justice suggested firearms offences had more than trebled in the past five years, while the number of armed officers in the county fell by a third.
The disputed figures said that in 2006, Northamptonshire Police... (GunPolicy.org)
Britain Inches Closer to Banning Replica, Deactivated, Convertible Guns
9 December 2007
Observer (UK)
Three years after they were jailed, police are still unearthing the murderous legacy of Britain's most prolific gun barons. From their ramshackle store in the Derbyshire village of Little Eaton, an unlikely father and son duo presided over an underworld racket that provided Uzi sub-machine guns and AK-47 rifles to organised crime syndicates.
They sold thousands of deactivated weapons — guns that had been made safe — but then included in the manifest detailed... (GunPolicy.org)
British Police Raid Hundreds of Premises in National Gun Crime Crackdown
29 November 2007
Guardian (UK)
LONDON — Hundreds of real and imitation firearms were seized during a nationwide "Day of Action" aimed at tackling violent crime among young people, the Home Office said on Thursday.
About 1,000 police officers carried out raids and checks in Manchester, London, Liverpool and Birmingham as part of a continuing operation called the Tackling Gangs Action Programme.
More than 1,300 real and imitation firearms were recovered and 118 people arrested during Wednesday's... (GunPolicy.org)
Brussels Vote Aims to Restrict Firearms, Imitation Guns Across Europe
29 November 2007
BBC News
A proposal to ban firearms that can be converted into handguns faces a vote in the European Parliament.
British MEP Arlene McCarthy, who is behind the campaign, says the supply of guns to criminals has to be tackled.
The parliament in Brussels will also consider a proposal to raise the age for obtaining firearms to 18.
Earlier this month, a student shot dead eight people at a school in Finland, where gun ownership is among the highest in the world.
Convertible... (GunPolicy.org)
British MP Gets European Nations' Support to Ban Convertible Handguns
23 November 2007
BBC News
A Euro MP for the north-west of England has won backing for her campaign to tighten laws on blank-firing guns that can be converted in to lethal weapons.
Arlene McCarthy says weapons of that type can, and have, been used to kill.
The move follows the Finland high school massacre and an attempted massacre in Germany.
Almost half the weapons seized by police in Greater Manchester last year were imitation weapons that have been converted to fire live rounds.
As... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,United Kingdom,Lithuania,Germany
EU May 'Fast Track' Convertible Gun Ban, Background Checks, Registration
12 November 2007
BBC News
A British MEP is hoping to "fast track" a new EU deal on gun control and says last week's school massacre in Finland should act as a wake up call.
Last week, the BBC reported that police in Britain, faced with a flood of easily convertible replica guns, want changes to European laws.
Labour MEP Arlene McCarthy, who chairs a key committee, said a new deal could be in place by the end of the year.
The new directive would make it harder to buy guns across the EU.... (GunPolicy.org)
How Guns Get Into the Hands of UK Crooks: Gas Gun Conversions in Britain
12 November 2007
BBC News
In November 2006 three men were jailed in connection with one of the biggest gun importation rackets in Britain. But how did it work and what can be done to stop such operations?
In the spring of 2005 Manchester gangster Desmond "Dessy" Noonan was interviewed for a television documentary and bragged about having "more guns than the police".
A few days later he was shot dead on a street in south Manchester.
Noonan's brother Dominic was arrested in May of that year... (GunPolicy.org)
Who Supplies Guns to UK Criminals? Summary of Trafficking Routes - BBC
12 November 2007
BBC News
Britain has some of the toughest gun laws in the world, and has done a great deal to choke off the supply — but as long as there is a demand for guns there will always be someone willing to find a way to provide them, at a price.
Since a ban on handguns was introduced after Thomas Hamilton murdered 16 children and their teacher at Dunblane in 1996, criminals have found it harder and harder to find guns.
'Guns are rare'
"The suggestion that Britain is awash with... (GunPolicy.org)
Britain's Changing Firearm Laws - A Guide to UK Gun Laws, Past & Present
12 November 2007
BBC News
In the wake of a series of high-profile shootings, an observer might assume that guns are suddenly pouring into the UK for the first time.
But gun control is a relatively recent phenomenon in Britain, where ownership of firearms was relatively common a century ago.
The contrast between UK legislation on gun ownership — among the strictest in the world, and that in the United States — among the most relaxed, might appear stark.
But in fact both countries'... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Europe,Czech Republic
UK Police Want Europe to Ban Sales of Handguns Smuggled to Britain
7 November 2007
BBC News
Police are calling for sweeping changes to European gun laws.
The Greater Manchester force says half of the weapons its officers have seized this year can be bought easily over the counter, and without a licence in many countries.
The BBC's Ten O'Clock News went undercover in Prague to find out how easy it is to obtain a weapon.
We went to the Czech capital to find out if we could buy a gun and found it shockingly easy.
We sent an undercover reporter, posing as... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize Imitation Guns 'Susceptible to Conversion' from UK Collector
19 October 2007
This is Hertfordshire / Watford Observer
Armed police swooped on the flat of a 54-year-old replica pistol collector in Battersea.
They seized 17 replica guns but police admit the man posed no threat to the community.
Wandsworth crime squad Inspector Matt Phelps said police had raided the flat about 10.20am on October 10 after a tip-off from the public.
"This action was taken to pro-actively reduce the threat of firearm incidents in the borough and to prevent any possible tragic consequences should they have... (GunPolicy.org)
Baghdad Girls & Boys 'Armed to the Teeth' with Imitation Assault Rifles
19 October 2007
Agence France Presse
BAGHDAD — Try as he might, Baghdad businessman Ibrahim Georges can't persuade his 11-year-old daughter Sandy to lay down her arms in favour of something less hostile, such as a doll.
"She loves her gun," Georges said as Sandy, short-haired and dressed in long trousers and T-shirt, proudly displayed a menacing GC toy automatic rifle that, according to a bold stamp on the side, was made in China.
"She never plays with dolls," added Georges ruefully, outside their home... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Homicide in Perspective: UK Gun Murders 58 per Year; USA 11,624
19 October 2007
Yorkshire Post (UK)
Sixteen-year-old Jonathan Matondo was found dead in a park in the Burngreave area of Sheffield two nights ago. He had been shot in the head.
Police investigations are ongoing, but people in the neighbourhood have reported their fear of gun-toting gangs recently seen roaming
local streets.
Only a few weeks ago, 11-year-old Rhys Jones was shot in the neck and killed in a pub car park in Liverpool after finishing a game of football. He'd allegedly been attacked by a... (GunPolicy.org)
London Gun Crime Rise Includes Imitation Pistol 'Firearm Crime,' Toy Guns
18 October 2007
BBC News
Gun crime in London has risen by nearly 10%, according to new figures released by the Metropolitan Police.
There were 1,825 gun-enabled crimes between April and September 2007, up 162 on the same period last year.
However, firearms offences in the black community have fallen by about 10% from 131 to 119 over the same period.
Overall, crime in London has dropped 6.1% from 467,591 to 439,294 offences, with clear reductions in robbery, violence and knife crime.... (GunPolicy.org)
New UK Law Bans Realistic Airguns, Replicas; Dealers Out of Business
15 October 2007
Eastbourne Herald (UK)
Recent law changes regarding the supply of airguns and imitation guns are threatening the future of an independent business in Eastbourne.
Battle Orders in Lower Willingdon specialises in replica guns and has been trading in the town for more than 33 years.
But on October 1 the government introduced a number of changes to the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, with an aim to resolve the ever-prevalent issue of gun crime in Britain.
Battle Orders' owner Graham Barton... (GunPolicy.org)
British Police Welcome New Law Banning Import, Sale of Realistic Toy Guns
10 October 2007
Belper News (Derbyshire)
Derbyshire police have welcomed new laws which ban the importing, making and selling of realistic imitation firearms.
Up until now people have been able to buy these guns legally despite the fact that it is an offence to carry any firearm in public without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.
The new legislation overcomes this loophole which means realistic imitation guns will become less available in the future.
Insp Steve Fairbrother, crime reduction manager,... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Bans Realistic Imitation Airsoft, BB Guns, Declares Airguns 'Firearms'
1 October 2007
BBC News
New powers to crackdown on gun and knife crime have come into effect in England and Wales.
The government says the new legislation promises harsher punishments and tougher restrictions on the ownership and sale of guns and knives.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said tackling gun and knife crime was a "top priority", and said weapons on the street would not be tolerated.
The powers were introduced as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006.
The home secretary... (GunPolicy.org)
Chinese Man Gets 19 Years Jail for Holdup, Robbery with Imitation Gun
12 September 2007
Reuters
BEIJING — A court in southern China has jailed a 21-year-old man who used a toy gun to steal a backpack containing HK$1.7 million ($218,000) for 19 years, Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday.
Xie Wei held the toy gun to a man's head in a bank carpark in Guangzhou, capital of coastal Guangdong province, and fled with the victim's backpack, the agency said.
Police later caught Xie in possession of 1.61 million yuan ($214,000), the man's mobile phone, a laptop, and a... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Destroy 400 Seized Firearms, Imitation Guns in Northamptonshire
10 September 2007
BBC News
More than 400 guns handed in or seized by police in Northamptonshire over the past year have been destroyed.
The haul was made up of real firearms and imitation guns, all of which have now been shredded at a scrap yard.
Some of the weapons were confiscated by police while others were handed in by owners or collectors during weapons' amnesties.
Chief Insp Sean Bell said that with the weapons taken off the streets, Northamptonshire was a safer place.
He said:... (GunPolicy.org)
Carrying Gun or Imitation Gun Can Now Earn 10 Years' Jail in Isle of Man
9 September 2007
BBC News
Tough new laws which aim to tighten the control of imitation guns in the Isle of Man have come into force.
The laws, part of the Criminal Justice and Police Act, will make it an offence to carry a firearm or imitation with the intent to cause fear of violence.
Anyone convicted of this could face up to ten years in prison, the Isle of Man government said.
It is also now an offence to carry an imitation firearm in public without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gun Murder, Gun Crime Rare and Declining: Summary of UK Gun Trends
25 August 2007
Times (UK)
Sometimes, listening to politicians, police and the media, it can sound as if there is a gun-toting criminal on every street corner. The truth is far more nuanced. Serious gun crime is concentrated in particular parts of England and Wales; internationally, the country has a low death rate from guns compared with EU states such as France and Finland.
Where is gun crime prevalent?
Fifty-five per cent of firearms offences in England and Wales for 2005-06 were in three... (GunPolicy.org)
Britain Has Toughest Gun Laws, Yet Shootings, Youth Gun Crime Continue
24 August 2007
Telegraph (UK), Opinion
Periodically, there is a national outcry about guns on our streets. It reached a climax 20 years ago this week when Michael Ryan shot and killed 16 people, including his mother, wounded 15 others, then killed himself.
The massacre in Hungerford led to a ban on the ownership of semi-automatic centre-fire rifles.
In 1996, the murder of 15 children and their teacher at a school in Dunblane, Scotland, led to a complete ban on handguns.
Yet since then, the number of... (GunPolicy.org)
Rare Shootings Cause Alarm, But UK Gun Crime Not Prolific or Widespread
24 August 2007
BBC News
Another shooting, and more fears of guns on the streets of Britain — but what do we really know about the extent of gun crime in England and Wales?
Since the start of 2007, eight young people have lost their lives in shootings — six in London, one in Manchester and now the killing of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool.
According to provisional Home Office figures, there were 58 firearms-related homicides in 2006-07 compared with 49 in the previous year. That is... (GunPolicy.org)
England & Wales,United Kingdom
UK Police Defend Gun Amnesty 'Success'
30 April 2003
BBC News
Police Defend Gun Amnesty 'Success'
Police are hailing a month-long gun amnesty as a success despite claims by critics that it has done nothing to tackle gun crime.
More than 20,000 weapons were handed into police before the final day of the nationwide scheme on Wednesday.
Home Secretary David Blunkett said the amnesty, which was set up after the killing of teenagers Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare in Birmingham in January, had been a "great success".
But... (GunPolicy.org)
Solomons Agreement Imposes Fake Gun Ban
8 December 2000
ABC News (Australia)
No child in Solomon Islands will be getting a toy gun this Christmas.
As part of the Townsville Peace Agreement that has brought the ethnic war in the Solomons to a halt, the Parliament in Honiara has passed a bill banning all imitation firearms.
The Firearms and Ammunition Amendment Bill prohibits the manufacture, sale, carriage, possession and use of imitation firearms throughout the Solomons.
Solomon Islands Police Minister William Haomae told Parliament the ban... (GunPolicy.org)