Cleveland Police launch a month-long amnesty to remove illegal firearms from Teesside streets.
Teesside: A month-long firearms amnesty is now underway. Cleveland Police are working with the National Crime Agency to tackle illegal firearms.
This initiative runs from February 3 to February 28. The goal is to get Turkish Top-Venting Blank-Firing firearms off the streets. These weapons can be dangerous if misused.
People can hand in these firearms without facing prosecution. The police want to ensure that no one gets in trouble for turning in these weapons.
TVBFs are designed to fire only blank cartridges. However, criminals have been modifying them to look like real guns. This makes them a serious threat.
These firearms are illegal under the Firearms Act 1968. Specific brands like Retay, Ekol, Ceonic, and Blow are included in this amnesty.
Since 2021, over 800 converted blank firers have been recovered in the UK. Some of these have even been linked to homicides.
People can drop off firearms at four Cleveland Police helpdesks. They are open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 8 pm. It’s best to call 101 before visiting for advice on packaging the weapon.
- Hartlepool Police Station, Avenue Road, Hartlepool TS24 8AJ
- Middlesbrough Police Station, Bridge Street West, Middlesbrough, TS2 1AB
- Redcar and Cleveland Police Station, Troisdorf Way, Redcar, TS10 5AP
- Stockton Police Station, Thistle Green, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1TZ
Detective Chief Inspector David Glass is leading this operation. He encourages anyone with a TVBF to come forward and hand it in safely.
He emphasizes that this is a chance to dispose of these weapons without fear. People can even do it anonymously if they prefer.
Removing these firearms from circulation is crucial for community safety. This amnesty is a great opportunity to help protect everyone.
