Burglary and police removing my guns

[TDShamwari]

Hi all,

I was burgled on November, after this burglary the police insisted that I remove my shotguns from my house to a friends for a few months. The burglars came back two days ago while myself and my pregnant wife were asleep upstairs. Two masked men tried to get in the front door with the stolen keys from last time. They were not successful in gaining entry and I did not see their attempt until I checked the ring doorbell the next morning. I have just had a call from my firearms officer telling me that I need to move my guns out of the house until the end of April, otherwise they will take my guns off me and revoke my license. I have been burgled and now the police want my guns ! Where do I stand on this and can they legally take my guns off me?

 

[artschool]

what a awful thing to have happen.

however if the burglars are coming back i think it might be wise to put the guns in a local rfd or a club safe as a precaution if possible.

 

[sauer]

if your a member of a shooting organisation with legal then get onto them right now
be better speaking to them or a solicitor with firearms legal experience rather than armchair legal specialists form an online forum

Paul

 

[Hook'N'Bullet]

Thats terrible news, I'm really sorry to hear this has happened, but in the interest of yours and your wifes safety, I think getting them out of the house might be the safest option. I'd imagine the threat of revocation is to light a fire under you so you don't get caught in a nightmare situation. You shooting them or vice versa.

 

[VSS]

Sounds to me like someone is watching, and knows exactly what's going on in your household.
Better take police advice and get the guns out for a while.

 

[Dan Newcombe]

I can see why they are taking that stance.

Thieves often steal a quad bike and then come back a few months later for the new replacement.

 

[Greenmist]

Put them in storage, contact your shooting org for legal advice. Once thats done, ask for a meeting with your FEO and local crime prevention officer and ask for solutions to the situation you're in, depending how that goes, an email to your MP about how you as a law abiding citizen are being penalised due to the illegal actions of others.

 

[Tim.243]

Hi all,

I was burgled on November, after this burglary the police insisted that I remove my shotguns from my house to a friends for a few months. The burglars came back two days ago while myself and my pregnant wife were asleep upstairs. Two masked men tried to get in the front door with the stolen keys from last time. They were not successful in gaining entry and I did not see their attempt until I checked the ring doorbell the next morning. I have just had a call from my firearms officer telling me that I need to move my guns out of the house until the end of April, otherwise they will take my guns off me and revoke my license. I have been burgled and now the police want my guns ! Where do I stand on this and can they legally take my guns off me?

Sorry to hear this.

3 unpleasant examples.
A friends wife came to the workshop every Tuesday to do the books.
SWB Land rover stolen. ( told him they will come back)
He replaced it with a Range Rover
Stolen on a Tuesday. (they now have a book keeper)
A Chap I sub-contracted to used to get the wages from the bank on a Thursday
2 blokes nearly got the bag off him as he got out the car.
Changed main wages to a cheque.

 

[andyk]

Does seem a bit high handed, and unfortunately typical of the police approach to things now - they won’t apprehend burglars, just tell you not to own anything they might want.

That (slight) rant aside, there may be something to this and it may be they have intelligence that says they’re targeting guns.

Were they my guns, there’s quite a value there and I also have the view that I’d rather burglars just take what they’ve come for and not have to approach me (or anyone else) to get access to what they’re looking for - it’s just stuff after all. Given guns require a level of protection that rules that general approach out, putting them somewhere out of the way may be wise, regardless of what the FLD think.

If you happen to need one, e.g. for work or urgent pest control, perhaps have a chat with them about whether you could get extra security for the one(s) you really need, or do something extra, to minimise the risk, while putting any others in storage. At least that would mitigate.

 

[dunwater]

To summarise,
You get burgled, following which you are instructed to move your firearms out of your home for a few months.
You subsequently suffer an attempted break in/ unsuccessful burglary or home invasion and you are instructed to again remove your firearms from the house until the end of April or have your firearms certs revoked and your property confiscated.
Is there anything concrete to indicate that the 2 incidents are related?
I think I would be contacting my shooting organisation’s legal department. I would also request a formal written copy of the instruction to once again remove the firearms from the premises for a defined period of time or have my certs revoked along with an explanation as to why this action is appropriate and a legal basis for the decision
This is pure victim blaming.

 

[Quixote]

Does seem a bit high handed, and unfortunately typical of the police approach to things now - they won’t apprehend burglars, just tell you not to own anything they might want

Hopefully just being sensibly cautious. Although I also hope the OP and his family are getting the support they need. It would be nice to think the police are actively investigating the case too.

 

[Liveonce]

can you not show improvements to your security, like an alarm system if you do not already have one and new locks on the doors. Then an additional wifi camera.

 

[Mike L]

Just thinking outside the box…………… why don’t the police catch the burglars

 

[palo]

Why until the end of April ?
Do they think burglars take the summer off

 

[MAH]

move my guns out of the house until the end of April,

Hmm. I feel your pain.
Presumably, the police think the scumbags saw your gun safe and there maybe a history or pattern of return visits with more tools.

It's not ideal. But if I were you, I'd cooperate.
If the do revoke your licence, that will be more tricky to recover from.

In parallel, I'd be writing to the PCC pointing out..

It seams your officers believe the criminals will return. So I have cooperated with their request.

However my question to you is, what additional protection are you putting in place to protect me and my family from them when they return.
e.g. a guarantee priority response, a dedicated panic button..... dar.. dar..

If they say none, then presumably the risk must be low.

On the flipside I'd have been more impressed if, assuming a pattern of repeat visits, they setup a sting to catch the scumbags.

M

 

[VSS]

On the flipside I'd have been more impressed if, assuming a pattern of repeat visits, they setup a sting to catch the scumbags.

M

Maybe that's exactly what's planned, maybe not at the OP's property, but another locally, hence the definite timescale that's been given? ie, after April, the known risk will have been removed.

 

[bullet chucker]

You are asked twice' to move your guns---Do it!
You never changed the locks the first time? ----Why.
Others with a less serious situation have had their guns and Certificate revoked, consider your self lucky. I hasten to add, how sorry' I am that your family have been violated in this way by burglars.

BC.

 

[dunwater]

Hopefully just being sensibly cautious. Although I also hope the OP and his family are getting the support they need. It would be nice to think the police are actively investigating the case too.

How can this possibly be “ sensibly cautious “?
The house was burgled, but the firearms were not taken, presumably because the security cabinet did what it was supposed to do.
Subsequently there was a second attempt to enter the property, this time the intruders failed to gain entry.
Where’s the threat?
Follow the logic and no one should be permitted to keep their firearms at home.

 

[andyk]

@bullet chucker the OP can perhaps elaborate but I would assume he did change the locks, hence why the attempt at getting in with the keys taken previously failed.

 

[Cyres]

Surely the question should be why aren't the police catching the criminals in the first place!
Also I think in this situation some form of CCTV/Alarm would be sensible. Clearly change locks and if possible have two locks with different keys.
Yet again the innocent being penalised.
Agree you need advice from shooting organisation.
D