billytheghillie Posted May 17, 2016 Report Share Posted May 17, 2016 Was thinking today, " what if the police take away your guns pending a enquiry, and then return them damaged i.e. stock all dings and marks, can you claim them? " Has it happened to anyone on here or there mates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted May 17, 2016 Report Share Posted May 17, 2016 You'd have to have a pretty comprehensive set of up to date pre confiscation pictures to show damage. or somehow get them taken at the time. If they were in slips it might help handling problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les*1066 Posted May 17, 2016 Report Share Posted May 17, 2016 I have 'heard' - i.e., urban myths/legends - of this happening, but I don't know how true they are. I would suspect that if any guns did get damaged, it would be just tough luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham M Posted May 17, 2016 Report Share Posted May 17, 2016 (edited) When a elderly club member died back in 1994, the police had to come and pick up his rifles, pistols and shotguns to take them to be "Looked after" until they we transferred onto the certificates of his will beneficiaries. The guns were all dropped into a large canvas bag without any gunslips on them and dragged down the stairs. They hit every tread on the way down and were then dragged out to the police van and THROWN into the back. We complained bitterly to to eejits who were undertaking the removal, but it was water off a ducks back as they seemed to think that they were going off to be destroyed anyway, despite being told otherwise. When they were finally returned to the rightful new owners the scopes were bent, some of the shotgun barrels were dented and scored as though they had been dragged on concrete and all of them had huge gouges in the wood. The rifles and pistols were rusty as though they had been stored in a wet shed and the hammer on one of the revolvers was wedged into the frame where it must have been dropped (or worse). No pictures were taken because the police arrived before we did and when we complained we were told that "They must have already been like it because they had been stored with the utmost care". Get very detailed picture of EVERYTHING before the guns go away, because they will be the subject of every officer's curiosity in the station, and you can guarantee that they won't have a clue as to how they should be handled. They have watched countless films where the super hero soldiers come into the room and throw their guns onto a table, so it can't hurt them can it. G Edited May 17, 2016 by Graham M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted May 17, 2016 Report Share Posted May 17, 2016 My father started to show some signs of odd behaviour which was the beginnings of a depressive episode, a man that had shot all his life, a regional skeet champion who at one time had been selected for the Olympic team back in the day of Brian Wells and (now England mentor) Ian Coley. He also served with the para's during the end of the second world war, the whole episode was badly handled by the police and the guns were taken away in my absence. I had them returned to me once I had another cabinet, they were returned in a black dustbin bag, four guns just bundled in with various dinks ( my father always took great pride in looking after his guns.) I did complained but didn't get much response from the plod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sha Bu Le Posted May 18, 2016 Report Share Posted May 18, 2016 More than 30 years ago the brother of a friend of mine shot one of his girlfriends. While he was in custody police arrived at the house (both lived at the same address). Friend had 2 shotguns (legal). Friend objected and was told if he did not surrender the guns his brother would not get bail. So no choice really. When he eventually got them back they were in a bit of a state, was told they were like that when they were collected. Got nowhere with his claim for damages. Girlfriend survived btw and the brother got 5 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzy518 Posted May 18, 2016 Report Share Posted May 18, 2016 Mine were taken in thier gunslips and were still in them when I collected them. No damage whatsoever. On the occasions I have had to sieze guns from other people, I also make sure that they are in gunslips too. In my experience all siezed guns are treated very well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted May 18, 2016 Report Share Posted May 18, 2016 Most likely not relevant now but back in the 80's I had a bad car accident and my car was totalled - in the boot was a Winnie 101 that the police took from the scene and stored at a local station. By the time I was up and about again it was nearly 2 months before I went to collect the gun - it was covered in rust!!! - god alone knows where they had stored it but it was ruined - worse still was the fact that it was a mates gun and I had to buy him a new one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.C Posted May 18, 2016 Report Share Posted May 18, 2016 When,about 18months/2years ago I had my interview with my fao he advised me on this very subject. Before handing over your gun/s photograph them. We all carry mobile phones with pretty good cameras these days. Also make sure the gun is in a slip.Apparently my local force has had to pay out 1000's in the past because of uninformed officers chucking shotguns in the back of vans or the boots of patrol cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billytheghillie Posted May 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2016 very good replys, a bit of a mixed bag, ( pardon the pun) not that im in any trouble, was just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinybum Posted May 18, 2016 Report Share Posted May 18, 2016 surely if you were having guns seized it would be possible to remove any scopes as these items are not a firearm so as to cut down any chance of damage to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted May 19, 2016 Report Share Posted May 19, 2016 Slightly different story but some thirty plus years ago an elderly member of our club died and the police took his guns in for safe keeping. That was the last anyone saw of them, they disappeared in the police station. The story was they were in a cupboard but they are not there now. Never heard the final outcome, they weren't particularly valuable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenholland Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 today's gun insurance might cover that situation or not !. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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