Public urged to hand in blank-firing firearms in national amnesty

Staffordshire Police are asking owners of four types of top-venting blank-firing firearms to surrender their firearms after tests revealed they are illegal. 

The appeal comes as part of the national firearms amnesty, which will be held from February 3 to February 28, with owners able to hand their firearms into local police participating police stations. 

The amnesty means that those in ownership of the top-venting blank firers will not face prosecution for illegal possession, and can remain anonymous when submitting the firearms. 

The four brands - which overwhelmingly account for the number of top-venting firearms in UK circulation - are the Turkish models: Retay, Ekol, Ceonic, ISSC and Blow. 

The firearms can be handed into Burton Police Station, Horninglow Street, Burton-on-Trent, Cannock Police Station, Wolverhampton Road, Cannock and Longton Police Station, Sutherland Road, Longton. 

Possession of the firearms after the amnesty ends may result in criminal prosecution. 

Superintendent Mat Derrick, head of operations at Staffordshire Police, said: "I would ask and encourage anyone in possession of one of the four types of top-venting blank firearms to safely surrender it at one of our designated police stations.

“Firearm offences remain low in Staffordshire, but supporting and recognising the importance of this campaign will further help keep our communities safe by removing them from circulation and reducing the possibility of them being used inappropriately."

Anyone handing in the firearms is advised to only visit the listed police stations, transporting the firearms in the safest way possible that does not cause alarm to others. 

More information on handing the firearms in can be found on the Staffordshire Police website, or by calling 101.