Londoners urged to hand in firearms as gun crime rises in Greenwich.
The Metropolitan Police has launched a #giveupyourgun campaign as part of weeklong firearm surrender. The campaign will give people in Greenwich & Lewisham the opportunity to safely dispose of firearms, imitation weapons or ammunition without having to give their details to police.
The most recent figures show gun crime in Greenwich is up by 31%. Local London Assembly Member Len Duvall described the amnesty as playing a ‘vital’ role in the fight against gun crime.
Figures obtained from the Metropolitan Police show there were 77 gun crimes committed in Greenwich in 2016, up from 59 in 2015. Across London, there were 420 more gun crimes in the last year – an increase of 22%.
The campaign, which is part of the Met’s ongoing work to reduce gun crime and remove illegal weapons from the streets of London, began on Monday, 6 February and runs until 2300hrs on Sunday, 12 February. Firearms and ammunition can be taken to Plumstead Police Station or Lewisham Police Station on Lewisham High Street. which are open 24 hours a day.
Local Labour London Assembly Member Len Duvall AM said:
It is extremely worrying to see gun crime going up in Greenwich and across the capital. Every single incident brings misery to the individuals involved, and to their friends and families. He added “However, It is excellent news that gun crime has dropped in Lewisham bucking the city wide trend. However, that so many incidents still occur is a real cause for concern.
I would urge anyone reading this who is in possession of a firearm – or knows someone who is – to hand it in at a police station. You won’t have to leave your details, and you’ll help to make our community safer.
Gun crime is a serious problem in our city, and schemes like this are vital to tackling it.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- The above article mentions the word amnesty, which is inaccurate. The Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police today (Thursday 23rd February) clarified that the word ‘surrender’ should be used to describe the give up your gun campaign. This is because while no details are taken from the individual who hands anything in, firearms are analysed to check if they have been involved in criminal activity.
- View the rolling 12 month gun crime figures by borough
- Metropolitan Police data show there were 77 gun crimes committed in Greenwich in 2016, up from 59 in 2015
- See a map showing the 24 hour stations in each borough
- Gun Crime is crime (Violence Against the Person, Robbery, Burglary and Sexual Offences) in which guns are used. A gun is taken to be involved in an offence if it is fired, used as a blunt instrument to cause injury to a person, or used as a threat. Where the victim is convinced of the presence of a firearm, even if it is concealed, and there is evidence to of the suspect's intention to create this impression, then the incident counts. Both real, and fake firearms, and air weapons are counted within this category. (Metropolitan Police).
- Any antique or decommissioned weapons which have the potential to be reactivated, and any loose ammunition, can also be handed in to police.
- If anyone has any information about someone who they believe is in possession of an illegal gun, they can ring police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
- Len Duvall is the Labour Assemble Member for Greenwich and Lewisham