Armed crime rose by 10% last year according to figures which show a worrying increase in the use of weapons by criminals. During 1998, police recorded a total of 13,671 armed offences, up from 12,410 the year before. But experts estimate that only around half the weapons used in armed incidents are real. Unless the guns are fired or recovered later by police, records are based on descriptions from witnesses, who may be not be able to tell the difference between a... (GunPolicy.org)