Police launch surrender campaign for unlicensed firearms and ammunition

Police Scotland has called for people in possession of firearms and ammunition without a valid licence to surrender them.

The move is part of a UK-wide campaign to improve public safety.

Firearms and ammunition can be surrendered at police stations across Scotland from 12 until 29 May.

Those who have replica firearms, air weapons, BB guns, imitation firearms, component parts and other ballistic items will also be able to hand these over in the same period.

Assistant chief constable Alan Speirs said: “The purpose of the firearms surrender campaign is to remove firearms from criminal availability and therefore reduce the risk of harm to the public and our communities.

“People will be able to surrender unlicensed weapons and ammunition to a number of dedicated police stations throughout Scotland and I would encourage people to do so.”

Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans, Keith Brown, said: “I would encourage anyone in possession of an unneeded or unlicensed firearm or air weapon to safely hand it over to police at one of their designated police stations.

“Firearm offences remain at historically low levels in Scotland, but by removing unwanted weapons this important campaign by Police Scotland will help keep our communities safe and prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands.”

The public can hand firearms and weapons to any police station, however, they are asked where possible to attend at designated locations across Scotland.

The police stations are:

– Edinburgh Division: St Leonards

– Fife Division: Levenmouth, Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline

– Forth Valley Division: Stirling, Randolphfield, Falkirk

– Lothians and Scottish Borders: Dalkeith, Galashiels, Haddington, Livingstone

– North: Highland and Islands Division, Burnett Road, Dingwall, Fort William, Kirkwall, Lerwick, Nairn, Portree, Stornoway, Wick

– North East Division: Banchory, Elgin, Ellon, Inverurie, Kittybrewster, Mintlaw, Stonehaven

– Tayside Division: Dundee, Forfar, Perth

– West Argyll and West Dumbartonshire Division: Campbeltown, Clydebank, Dumbarton, Dunoon, Islay, Lochilphead, Oban, Rothesay

– Ayrshire Division: Ayr, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Lamlash

– Dumfries and Galloway Division: Annan, Castle Douglas, Dumfries HQ, Lockerbie, Loreburn, Dumfries, Newton Stewart, Stranraer, Sanquhar

– Greater Glasgow Division: Aitkenhead Road, Govan, Kirkintilloch, London Road

– Lanarkshire Division: Hamilton, Motherwell

– Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Division: Greenock, Paisley