Public urged to hand in Bruni blank firing guns during amnesty

A firearms amnesty is set to take place across England and Wales, starting on Monday 2 February and running until Friday 27 February.

During the four-week amnesty, members of the public are encouraged to take certain models of Bruni top/side venting blank firing (TVBFs) imitation firearms into specific police stations and hand them over the front counter.

After the amnesty, anyone found in possession of one could face a prison sentence of up to ten years.

What is a Bruni Top-Venting Blank Firer (TVBF)?

TVBFs are blank-firing guns with fully blocked barrels, designed solely to discharge blank cartridges.

The blank-firing guns were legal to purchase in the UK by people over 18. In their original state, they are designed to discharge only blank cartridges and are often brightly coloured to distinguish them from real firearms.

Why is the Firearms Amnesty taking place now?

After testing of the Bruni-manufactured Side/ Top Venting Blank Firers (TVBFs) by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and police, five models have been shown to be readily convertible and therefore illegal. They are: -

• 8mm PAK Bruni BBM Model 92 blank firing self-loading pistol
• 8mm PAK Bruni BBM New Police blank firing self-loading pistol
• 8mm PAK Bruni BBM Model 96 blank firing self-loading pistol
• 8mm PAK Bruni BBM Model ‘GAP’ blank firing self-loading pistol
• .380R (9mmK) PAK Bruni BBM ME Ranger single-action blank firing revolver

Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Woods said: “Gun crime in the West Mercia Police force area remains very rare but we are not complacent, which is why we are supporting the Bruni TVBF firearms amnesty, after tests have shown they can be readily converted into firearms, therefore making them illegal to possess.

“Surrendering these weapons now will help prevent them getting into the wrong hands in the future and being used by criminals, so we want as many top-venting blank firers as possible to be handed in.

“Together with our partners we continually work hard to educate people about firearms and the dangers that come with them, to ensure that gun crime doesn’t become prevalent in the future.”

What do you need to know?

From February 2 to 27, an amnesty will be running across England and Wales.

This is an opportunity to safely dispose of and discard your Bruni TVBFs by taking them to one of our participating police stations (see list below). You will not be prosecuted for owning one, and you may remain anonymous.

No compensation will be provided by the Government for firearms handed over during the amnesty (or before it), as they are deemed illegal and in breach of current legislation.

If you choose not to surrender your TVBF during the amnesty, you could face prosecution and a prison sentence of up to 10 years if found to own one in the future.

How and where can I hand my Bruni TVBF in?

You can hand over your Bruni TVBF at any of the police stations listed below. Please check the opening hours on our website before your visit.

• Hereford Police Station, Bath Street, Hereford, HR1 2HT
• Kidderminster Police Station, Habberley Road, Kidderminster, DY11 6AN
• Shrewsbury Police Station, Clive Road, Monkmoor, Shrewsbury, SY2 5RW
• Telford Police Station, Malinsgate, Telford, TF3 4HW
• Worcester Police Station, Castle Street, Worcester, WR1 3QX

You can hand over your TVBF at the front counter of these stations. You will be asked for your details, but you are not required to provide them, and you can remain anonymous.

To ensure safety when transporting your Bruni TVBF, please:

• Place the item in a bag or box to keep it out of public sight.
• Make a specific journey solely for this purpose to minimise the time spent in public.
• Upon arrival, inform the staff at the front counter that you are there to hand in a firearm before presenting it to them.