Firearms amnesty underway across West Mercia
It's part of a national campaign to take a type of blank firing gun off the streets
A firearms amnesty is underway in West Mercia after new evidence emerged about the potentially lethal risk posed by a particular type of blank firing gun.
The guns, known as ‘top-venting blank firers’ (TVBFs), are manufactured in Turkey. In their original form they pose little risk, but in recent years an increasing number have been converted and have been used in serious violence.
Since 2021, more than 800 have been recovered in criminal circumstances across the UK.
Sam Bache is a firearms investigator with West Mercia Police. He's been telling us more about the guns:
"They essentially start of as blank firing guns, which means they don't shoot a projectile, but just make a loud bang.
"But these particular brands that we're focussing on are convertible, which means you can make them into a real gun with very little effort required."
A converted TVBF was used in the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Sebastiaan James-Kraan in west London in June 2024.
Three people charged in connection with Sebastiaan’s murder will stand trial in April.
While no gun was ever recovered, forensic analysis indicates that a TVBF was also used in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Tyler McDermott in north east London in April 2023.
In June, four people were found guilty of Tyler’s murder.
TVBFs can be handed in at police stations in Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire from Monday, 3 February until Friday, 28 February.
It's part of a national amnesty taking place across the country over the same period.
Sam Bache has this advice for anyone surrendering one of the guns:
"When people hand them in they may be asked to provide their details, but they are under no obligation to give their name, date of birth, or address."
TVBFs are legal to buy in the UK without a licence, unless they are readily convertible.
Tests by the National Crime Agency and police forces show models produced by four Turkish manufacturers – Retay, Ekol, Ceonic and Blow – are readily convertible and are therefore illegal.
Anyone found to be in possession of one, after the amnesty period, could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment, as part of a 'zero-tolerance approach' to the weapons.
During the Amnesty period, those handing in a Turkish manufactured TVBF will not face prosecution for the illegal possession and will not have to give their details.
However, the weapons will be examined to determine if they’ve previously been used in serious violence or other criminality.
Assistant Chief Constable Tim Metcalfe, the National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for the Criminal Use of Firearms, said:
“During the last two years, policing and the NCA have identified and disrupted several workshops used to convert these pistols into lethal weapons.
“In the same period, large numbers of converted weapons were recovered across multiple locations, alongside thousands of rounds of blank calibre and modified ammunition.
“One investigation recovered more than 400 converted weapons from a single crime group. There is a strong demand for them evidenced by the numbers imported and subsequent recovery from criminals.
“Stopping the sale of these top-venting blank firers from being converted will go a significant way to help protect the public.”