LBR/LBP and "looking at it"?

[toffe wrapper]

When the int corps officer lost her pistol in a local super market.

The unnamed soldier left her waistband holster and her Sig Sauer 9mm automatic pistol in the disabled toilet in a Sainsbury's at Hitchin on Saturday.

It was found by detectives in a post box in Hertfordshire on Tuesday morning.

Police said a 20-year-old man from Ickleford arrested on suspicion of theft (by finding) will face no charge.

[Sim G]

I know of a dog walker that found a shotgun propped up by a tree and just took it to the local police station. They took her details and a statement of how she found it and that was the last she heard. I said she should have waited the 6 months then rang them up to see if anyone had claimed it and if not she should claim it!

And that's exactly how it should be. People should not fear "doing the right thing". Conversely, when that lady found the shotgun, had she taken it home and stood it in the corner for a few days then PCSO who was delivering crime prevention leaflets saw it, then she should rightly answer.

[Richardd]

Interesting thread and there seems to be, reasonably enough, an obsession with the intricacies of the law before any discussion of the spirit of the law.

Having recently purchased an LBR I went through the process of looking at a friend's one at his home then shooting it at a Club range before getting a variation (that's another story ...) and heading South to buy one. I had no slot on my FAC until I rocked up at the RFD to buy it and, according to Police Scotland's Firearms Dept (I asked when getting my variation corrected) at no point was anyone at risk of arrest or being charged during that process because everyone was acting in a responsible manner in accordance with the spirit of the laws and regulations surrounding firearms.

As for finding a firearm, I found one in a flat I was the letting agent for many years ago and I chose to remove it, make it safe and call the police because I had the experience to do so and I didn't trust the yahoos I was working with. Th Police agreed with me! More recently (but still years ago) I found a damaged shotgun in woods near where I now live and I called the Police rather than touch it. Circumstances will always be taken into account, and whilst there are stories of people suffering at the hands of over zealous coppers, in 99% of cases common sense will see you through.

I have my nephews coming over from abroad on holiday (15yr old upwards) and they will be spending a happy day with me chucking lead at tin cans, targets and clays and I anticipate more problems with their mothers' desires to keep them away from nasty guns than the involvement of law enforcement. But then, what else is a mad uncle for than to lead nephews/nieces astray!