"Farmers targeted by gun thieves."

[Robigus]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/farmers-targeted-by-gun-thieves-63ptsrzw9

Farmers targeted by gun thieves
John Simpson, Crime Correspondent​

November 14 2017, 12:01am, The Times​

Police have warned licensed owners to store their weapons safely TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
​

Shotguns stolen from farmers and sports shooters are being used by gangs, Paul Gibbins, the head of Scotland Yard’s forensic firearms unit, has warned.

Thefts of registered firearms were up by nearly 25 per cent in the first six months of the year.

Pistols have become one of the favoured weapons of gangsters TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
​

Shotguns and pistols have become the weapons of choice for gangsters, with offences involving shotguns rising by 44 per cent last year to 1,642 crimes.

Mr Gibbins advised gun owners to be vigilant. “We have noticed farmers and people using the shotgun as a tool might not be locking them away as frequently as somebody who uses it at a sporting event,” he said.

At the launch of a gun surrender amnesty, he called on the public to hand in any unlicensed weapons.

 

[davidroberts30]

what pistols

 

[PSQ]

what pistols

The photo is of the UK Police joint forensics archive: http://www.nabis.police.uk

 

[davidroberts30]

was going to say pistols have been banned for 20 something years in this country

 

[Dry Rot]

Thefts of registered firearms were up by nearly 25 per cent in the first six months of the year.

Up from what? A totally meaningless statistic unless we know what figure it is based on, when that count was made, and the total number of licensed guns in the UK "in the first six months of the year"..

More massaging of statistics being used to deprive law abiding farmers of the tools of their trade?

A bit like the adverts we see so often on telly. "25% off". Yeah, right. 25% off what?

 

[David.]

That was on Mr Howard's watch wasn't it.
Ended well that one, no illegal handguns about anymore now that the legal owners were forked over.

 

[farmerm]

Up from what? A totally meaningless statistic unless we know what figure it is based on, when that count was made, and the total number of licensed guns in the UK "in the first six months of the year"..

More massaging of statistics being used to deprive law abiding farmers of the tools of their trade?

A bit like the adverts we see so often on telly. "25% off". Yeah, right. 25% off what?

Maybe it's up from 4 stolen guns to 5...

 

[RagnarHairybreeks]

You can still shoot long barrelled pistols legally in the UK, acquire one illegally and two minutes with a hacksaw and you've got something that you can hold sideways gangsta stylee in your youtube vids.

 

[RagnarHairybreeks]

It is an utterly useless statistic though.

What really ticked me off was the BBC website coverage of the gun amnesty, asking people to hand in these dangerous weapons - yet the stock photo was a shop display rack of air rifles.

 

[David.]

The lefty leaning media, the Home Office and BBC will not be happy until only the criminals have guns.

 

[Dry Rot]

Maybe it's up from 4 stolen guns to 5...

That's what I was thinking!

 

[michael N123]

was going to say pistols have been banned for 20 something years in this country

You can get 2 shot magazine restricted pistols for humane dispatch if you can blag your way threw the interview

 

[Y Fan Wen]

was going to say pistols have been banned for 20 something years in this country

The two 1997 firearms amendment acts.