A TWO-WEEK ‘Firearm Surrender’, starting today (Thursday, May 12), will allow Islanders to hand in firearms without the risk of prosecution.

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Police are asking people to surrender unlawfully held or unwanted guns and ammunition to avoid them getting into the wrong hands.

Many firearms may be held in innocence and ignorance of their illegality or overlooked or forgotten in people’s homes.

The surrender gives holders the chance to anonymously dispose of firearms or ammunition safely by handing it into a police station and not face prosecution for the illegal possession.

However, the history of each live firearm will be checked for evidence of its use in a crime.

Outside of the surrender period, if police find you in possession of a firearm with no license, you could receive a mandatory five-year prison sentence.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Storey, said: “We can be proud that gun crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight remains low and thankfully very rare.

“Tackling serious violence is a Force priority, and a firearms surrender works towards preventing crime and protecting the public; we want as many guns as possible to be handed in.

“If you have even a shadow of doubt about the legality of a weapon or ammunition that you possess, we urge you to hand it in during the surrender.”

The two-week Firearm Surrender will continue through to Sunday, May 29.

  • Video below courtesy of Hampshire Constabulary.