FIREARMS WARNING

[Highlander]

There was some talk on here recently about firearms thefts so I thought I share this with you all.

 

This is the bones of a letter received recently from my local firearms department of Suffolk Constabulary. I’ve often raised the point about guns left in cars during organised shoots especially over lunch breaks as it seems to me one of the easiest ways for a criminal to lay their hands on a firearm. I've highlighted the bit we ignore at our peril.

 

THEFT OF LICENSED FIREARMS

In recent weeks a small number of incidents have occurred in which licensed firearms have been stolen whilst being left insecure.

 

I am conscious that the game shooting season is well underway and there is concern that a minority of negligent certificate holders will leave firearms in unattended vehicles or fail to lock them away in their secure cabinets at home.

 

Sadly each year in Suffolk, in a small number of cases, criminals use firearms in the course of committing crime. The firearm may be used to threaten victims during the course of crimes such as robbery. The victims in tehse cases are more often than not left severely traumatised, often with long-term effects. I cannot over emphasis the seriousness of such crime and equally therefore the importance of the police being able to rely on firearm and shotgun certificate holders to ensure that unauthorised access to their guns and ammunition is prevented.

 

I’m sure you’re aware in cases of negligence we are faced with having to prosecute certificate holders for breaching the conditions of their certificates and/or revoking their certificates. This is not something we wish to do and can be avoided by the certificate holder simply by taking reasonable precautions to keep their firearms secure.

 

I ask for assistance in raising awareness of this issue with your members/customers who may live, work or shoot in Suffolk. Please appeal to them to take sensible precautions in keeping their guns and ammunition safe and secure. This can be achieved by locking firearms away in secure cabinets when home and by never leaving their firearms unattended in vehicles. Organised shoots are asked to consider their arrangements for security of firearms during lunch breaks and the like in order to ensure that firearms are never left insecure and unattended.