Nimble1
Member
Oct. 19, 2007
Armed police swooped on the flat of a 54-year-old replica pistol collector in Battersea.
They seized 17 replica guns but police admit the man posed no threat to the community.
Wandsworth crime squad Inspector Matt Phelps said police had raided the flat about 10.20am on October 10 after a tip-off from the public.
"This action was taken to pro-actively reduce the threat of firearm incidents in the borough and to prevent any possible tragic consequences should they have made their way into the wrong hands," Insp Phelps said after the weapons had been handed over.
"Most imitation weapons are exact copies of the real thing and this places armed officers in the almost impossible position of having to make an instant judgment on whether a gun is real or not.
"I would like to thank the local residents who had the foresight to bring this collection to our attention, and the owner for his full co-operation."
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Police said local residents had raised concerns that the man had a large number of replica firearms and ammunition on display in his home.
It turned out the 54-year-old had been collecting the gun memorabilia over 20 years and had built up an extensive collection.
Specialist CO19 firearms officers found 17 of the guns were exact replicas and could be converted to fire.
The Met said in a statement that "although there was no concern that the owner of the collection posed a threat himself, the firearms that had been identified by officers as susceptible to conversion were retained as a precautionary measure" and will be destroyed.
Armed police swooped on the flat of a 54-year-old replica pistol collector in Battersea.
They seized 17 replica guns but police admit the man posed no threat to the community.
Wandsworth crime squad Inspector Matt Phelps said police had raided the flat about 10.20am on October 10 after a tip-off from the public.
"This action was taken to pro-actively reduce the threat of firearm incidents in the borough and to prevent any possible tragic consequences should they have made their way into the wrong hands," Insp Phelps said after the weapons had been handed over.
"Most imitation weapons are exact copies of the real thing and this places armed officers in the almost impossible position of having to make an instant judgment on whether a gun is real or not.
"I would like to thank the local residents who had the foresight to bring this collection to our attention, and the owner for his full co-operation."
advertisement
Police said local residents had raised concerns that the man had a large number of replica firearms and ammunition on display in his home.
It turned out the 54-year-old had been collecting the gun memorabilia over 20 years and had built up an extensive collection.
Specialist CO19 firearms officers found 17 of the guns were exact replicas and could be converted to fire.
The Met said in a statement that "although there was no concern that the owner of the collection posed a threat himself, the firearms that had been identified by officers as susceptible to conversion were retained as a precautionary measure" and will be destroyed.
What are they putting in the water over there. 
