#Giveupyourgun amnesty launched

Met Police centred their amnesty around the case of a woman jailed for 5 years for storing her boyfriend’s firearm. Pic: Metropolitan Police

Londoners are being urged to #Giveupyourgun as part of a week long Metropolitan Police firearms amnesty. Anyone with a gun is being urged to hand it in to authorities without facing the usual consequences as part of the Met’s on-going efforts to reduce gun crime.

The gun amnesty started at 9a.m. on Monday, February 3 and ends at 11p.m. on Sunday, February 12. The aim is to reduce gun crime by lowering the number of illegal firearms on the streets.

Gun crime involves robberies, burglaries, and sexual offences where a gun is used to invoke violence whether fired or not, concealing of a gun, as well as possession of real or fake firearms and air weapons.

Four out of ten gun crimes recorded in the capital in December took place in Hackney, where there is a particular focus on spreading the word about the amnesty. Hackney MPS has taken to Twitter to encourage the community to participate.

Hackney Council has also been trying to lower gang affiliation and overall gun crime in Hackney, with their community safety partnership plan.

In a briefing, they stated: ‘The Integrated Gangs Unit (IGU) is dedicated to working with the highest risk gang affiliates in Hackney to reduce re-offending, and where necessary bring offenders to justice.

“Overall gang related crime performance improved, although there was a slight dip in performance during 2014/2015, most notably in gun crime, and youth violence,” the council added.

Detective Chief Superintendent Jim Stokley, of the Met’s Trident and Area Crime Command, said illegal firearms caused nothing but misery and devastation.

He added: “Our aim is to remove all illegal firearms from the streets of London and we work relentlessly to disrupt and arrest anyone suspected of being involved in gun crime.”

The Met is also using social media to publicise the case of a woman who stored a gun for her boyfriend and ended up being jailed for five years for possession of a firearm.

Anyone surrendering a gun can do so at their local police station without having to give personal details. More info here.

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