People who own firearms or ammunition are being urged to hand them in to police in a new two-week gun amnesty.
The last firearms surrender back in 2014 saw 225 weapons and 3,000 rounds of ammunition handed in to police.
The new ‘Give up the Gun’ campaign started at 7am on Monday 4 April 2016 and will run until 11.59pm on Monday 18 April.
During this time unwanted or unlicenced weapons can be given away at local police stations with no questions asked.
More than 80 of the 225 guns handed in were illegally owned
Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable John O’Hare said: “We use various tactics to locate weapons that have fallen into the wrong hands – but we need the public’s help. We want as many weapons as possible and would encourage people to hand them in.
“One weapon off the streets is one less that can be used, often multiple times, to harm and threaten our communities.”
March saw at least two reporting shootings in Salford.
On 21 March a 21-year-old man was shot in the arm with a shotgun on his doorstep in Ellesmere Park, Eccles.
And violence between drug-dealing crime gangs continued in Little Hulton when a door was blasted with a shotgun in an intimdation-style warning.
Greater Manchester Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd said: “Gun crime has cast a shadow over Greater Manchester in recent months.
“But the actions of a minority will not diminish the ambition of the good, law-abiding people of this conurbation to make our neighbourhoods safer and protect our young people from criminality.”
If you know of people involved in illegal firearms call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Crimestoppers is offering a reward up to £1000 for information that lead to the recovery of a firearm and an arrest and conviction.
Main image: Greater Manchester Police – firearms amnesty 2014
