Police confiscated my airsoft guns

[xRAZERx]

/edit - As a tip, if you don't want this to happen inform your local PD that you posess airsoft replicas and whatever else. You'll receive a far kinder reaction if/when anyone calls in about sighting guns on your property.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Really?

 

So if old Mrs Miggins dials all the nines because she sees you waving your Glock about in the living room you're hoping you'll get

 

round to investigate rather than

 

the boys crashing in... And showing you the business end of an MP5 then demanding a cuppa...

 

Wrong.

[Samm]

Sledge i agree that safe practice would be parental consent but that was not in question .

It washis legal position (should he have been under 18 ) that was in question and that is clearly that he CAN legally own under 18.

 

Target Practice - did you even read any of the replies in this thread before posting your dribble ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sledge? Sledge hasn't posted in this thread at all.

[Xaccers]

Ok situation:

 

You turn up at a house, there's a 19 year old and a 40-50 year old

Which do you presume is the owner/tenant of the home?

Most people would assume its a son living in dad/step dad's home, rather than the other way around, and that is probably why the police took you out rather than your step dad and his burly bloke.

 

Definitely follow the advice of the police/ex police in this thread though.

[pugboy]

I won't go into detail about what started the incident but I had an argument with my Step-dad about my new hobby. He said I had 7 days to get the guns out the house or he will have them removed. I refused so he called he mate who is a BIG F*CKER the size of a bouncer. He started to threaten violently so I called the police saying that I was being attacked (he grabbed me and threw me about).

 

Right this is the best bit.....

 

A riot van and a patrol car turn up at 8 at night with the lights flashing and I'm thinking yes I'm safe. WRONG!!! My step-dad tells the coppers what the argument was about and all they heard was GUNS. Bang! stright into the riot van I go as they tip my room upside-down (my curtains were open so I saw it all) looking for Illegal firearms. 20mins later 5 coppers walk out the house with the following:-

 

2 plastic shotguns from an 80's computer game

1 MP5-J that I use for airsoft

1 M92 agin for airsoft

10 inert shotgun shells with the primer drilled out

about 30 round of inert ammo in a belt again with the primer drilled out

 

They even took a novalty T-shirt that says "Police, lay flat on your back and spred 'em" because I would be impersonating a police officer if I wore it WTF!

 

They didn't arrest me but said they need a firearms inspector to conferm that there not illegal. Well the fact that the shotguns had a cable comming from them didn't give it away. I even had to show one officer how to identify an inert round!!!

 

If they do decide to arrest me my laywer's going to have there pants down.

 

And what of the guy who assulted me you ask? one copper asked him to leave because it was getting crowded in the house!!! can the police be done for wasting police time?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

right first things first how nasty do you want this to get IE you can have you dads mate in court, before his feet acutally touch the ground if he laid a finger on you.

 

if i was you id take that advice of xRAZERx, dont do anything stupid either like trying to get even with your step dad ive tried it it doesnt work

[Colin_The+Ferret]

Sledge? Sledge hasn't posted in this thread at all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You're using "his" avatar I had to look twice myself.

[teetee]

Really?

 

So if old Mrs Miggins dials all the nines because she sees you waving your Glock about in the living room you're hoping you'll get

 

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39944000/jpg/_39944682_balamory203220.jpg

round to investigate rather than

http://www.cleaford.co.uk/de2.jpg

 

the boys crashing in... And showing you the business end of an MP5 then demanding a cuppa...

 

Wrong.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

So you're saying an ARU would be sent to a call involving a property which was already searched and flagged for having airsoft replicas? I doubt the police are that stupid... I'd imagine they use their intel to their advantage and have learnt from their past knee-jerk reactions.

 

Or maybe not.

[XenoBait]

Police have to react to any reported firearms incident in the same way. Simple really.

 

The intel will form part of the brief, but a weapon has to be assumed live and loaded until established otherwise.

 

Why would they take the "It's only a replica" risk

[kiblets]

I do believe a knee jerk reaction is exactly what it was, over reaction or a necessary precaution you weren't a terrorist... thats debatable

[xRAZERx]

So you're saying an ARU would be sent to a call involving a property which was already searched and flagged for having airsoft replicas? I doubt the police are that stupid... I'd imagine they use their intel to their advantage and have learnt from their past knee-jerk reactions. 

 

Or maybe not.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yes. Just because you've been to your local nick and said "I've got some airsoft stuff" doesn't mean that you're not John Jahidist does it..

 

Would be stupid to take the risk that it's not real.

 

 

Police have to react to any reported firearms incident in the same way. Simple really.

 

The intel will form part of the brief, but a weapon has to be assumed live and loaded until established otherwise.

 

Why would they take the "It's only a replica" risk

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

TBH I'm not sure I'd even want the fact it may be a replica in the brief, wouldn't want the doubt factor in the back of my mind.

[cyclone5uk]

Sounds like a nasty situation to be in, but here's some advice:

 

1) Talk to your local Housing Officer, (I assume you are a Council Tenant as opposed to a Council Leaseholder?). Your home and rent is based on your familys makeup and income, so even if your stepfather is gone you will still have a place to live regardless of whatever his benefits contributed to the rent.

 

2) A written letter asking him to leave (signed by you) is enough for him to make a seperate housing and/or homeless application. His medical condition is enough for him to be deemed to have "priority need", and therefore the local authority is obliged to house him.

 

PM if you want more detailed advice.

[Skarclaw]

Sue them.

[ianhaz]

Lord krell....what the hell? You say we shouldnt automatically believe the original poster, but why should you automatically believe he is lieing?

[Habakure]

Notice posts that involve police always turn into a slagging match? The man's asking for advice if you have advice that will help or give him support, great post it, if not leave it.

 

As to the police bit some people have had bad experience with police, I have had more good than bad. Way more good. So best not to say something derogatory unless its backed up with a situation.

 

Do hope you get this sorted with your step dad, maybe sit him down have a chat see why he hates the airsoft weapons being in the house. If he is completely unreasonable then follow peoples advice already stated on here. Either move out to your birth fathers or ask him to leave. He did try and scare you with his bouncer look-a-like of a friend so he is willing to but you at risk, which is a no-no. I'm sorry if this upsets you in anyway, that was not my intention.

 

Good luck

 

Edited for bad grammar (Now its so so nearly passable)

[Munitions Man]

Get a restraining order against your step dad and his goon. This guy has made serious threats to you, that is harassment plain and simple. Has he hurt you before? Anything like this happen before? If so you'd have the courts on your side. And remember not to do anything that is against the law or may offend him. Keep cool, say the truth and in the end you will be victorious.

[dirtyazzmutha]

I am confused, why exacly did they take your guns. I have to admit when first reading your post I thought they had every right to take them. After reading and realising your 19 yrs old, an adult, and the house is in your name. Why did the cops take the guns, unless you were doing somthing with them that you shouldnt, like pointing etc...

It would seem to me that if your an adult, the house or apartment is in your name then you have every right to keep your guns and our step dad cant say *beep*. However I feel there may be somthing left out of his story.

[ViscountCharles]

Going wildly off topic here, and my apologies for it.

This is something that has annoyed me constantly. The court should not look at whether proceedure was followed correctly or not, it should be about whether the person is guilty of the crime or not.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Pardon me for going a bit further off-topic, but I was involved in a case earlier this week. I'll spare you the details (at least partly because those concerned may yet face disciplinary measures), but two coppers didn't just completely ignore simple procedures, they broke clear rules that have been in operation for decades, and then *lied* to me to cover their tracks. It was a *crucial* piece of evidence - without it, there was no case against the Defendant, and the Police had lied about it making that evidence worthless.

 

I'm still in a seething rage over it.

 

As a result the case wasn't thrown out by the Judge - I dropped it myself. Those rules and procedures are there to protect innocent people from fit-ups by bent coppers, and although I don't know whether that Defendant was completely innocent, I *do* know that those police officers were either bent or incompetant - and a very, very poor reason to see someone who *might* be innocent go to gaol.

 

Not to say that those two represented anything other than a tiny minority, but my point is procedures ARE important. There was no way at the end of my case for a jury to know if the Defendant really had committed a crime, or whether he was being fitted up, precisely because the procedure was ridden rough-shod over by two officers. If they'd done their jobs properly, maybe a jury could have decided if the Defendant was guilty or innocent.

 

Our system operates in such a way that it's better to let a man who *might* be guilty go free if there are doubts or serious mistakes; the opposite, a system where the Police do whatever they want and run the risk that innocent men go to gaol, is not a place where I want to live.

 

OP - see a solicitor (franlkly he can do more damage to the POlice and the step-dad *because* they haven't arrested you, and it's best to get your retailiation in first Ifind). Make sure that you grab a copy of the signed tenancy agreement. Don't let step-dad persuade you (or the landlords) to change the tenancy. Don't move out if you can avoid it (it would be grounds to terminate the tenancy) - whether you want to kick him out is another matter, but personally I'd be laying down the law to him rather than vice versa ("my house, my rules - live with it or walk/wheel, pal"). Take the tenancy with you when you go to the Police Station to (i) get your kit back (cos they'll know that by taking you - and your stuff - out of your house without your permission, an arrest or a warrant, they're on Thin Ice), and (ii) see the duty Inspector to complain (calmly, logically, with as much dignity as you can muster but accepting no back-peddling from him - it's pretty clear that the coppers on the night assumed that step-dad was the homeowner). And store the bloody things at your dads when you get them back if he's OK with that (yes, you have a right to keep them in YOUR house, but step-dad is obviously going to be a twat about it, and you're better off removing temptation from his grasp. etc etc.

[Thorbard]

Police have to react to any reported firearms incident in the same way. Simple really.

 

The intel will form part of the brief, but a weapon has to be assumed live and loaded until established otherwise.

 

Why would they take the "It's only a replica" risk

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

If you informed the police that you had replica firearms in your house, and someone phones them and says "i saw someone with a gun in [your house]", then they're not gonna send round a full-blown ARU and kick your door down.

[XenoBait]

Police have to react to any reported firearms incident in the same way. Simple really.

 

The intel will form part of the brief, but a weapon has to be assumed live and loaded until established otherwise.

 

Why would they take the "It's only a replica" risk

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

TBH I'm not sure I'd even want the fact it may be a replica in the brief, wouldn't want the doubt factor in the back of my mind.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

If you informed the police that you had replica firearms in your house, and someone phones them and says "i saw someone with a gun in [your house]", then they're not gonna send round a full-blown ARU and kick your door down.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ok, so the same post of mine is being corrected in two completely opposite directions?

 

xRAZERx is/was (you'll have to ask him) a firearms officer. I'm inclined to believe him. Thorbard, where does that information come from? We can't all be right.

[DazJW]

They'd still show up surely?

They might knock first, but if only normal officers were sent and you shot and killed them there's going to be a huge backlash about the lack of armed officers if a gun had been reported.

[Thorbard]

OK, that was the reason I was told for it being a good idea to inform the poilice that you are in posession of replicas.

 

I assumed those other posts were talking about different situations however. Such as a replica being sighted on the street, or somewhere where they weren't known to be. In which case the "I wouldn't even want the suspicion of it being a replica" makes good sense. You dont want that kind of doubt there.

 

But if someone says "I saw something that looked like a gun" where the person who owns that property has already said "I have things that look like guns", why would the police raid that property?

[DazJW]

Someone with a real gun could easily buy an airsoft and have their house flagged so that when anyone sees them with their real gun noone worries.

[XenoBait]

Someone with a real gun could easily buy an airsoft and have their house flagged so that when anyone sees them with their real gun noone worries.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Exactly, which is why....

 

Police have to react to any reported firearms incident in the same way.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No these copper weren't reacting to a firearms incident, they were going to a domestic where there were presented with imitation firearms. I haven't got both sides of the story but from the information presented it looks like they got it wrong. These coppers were unlikely to have any concept of airsoft, or any firearms training and unfortunately it's not gone well. In many respects it was lucky an ARU wasn't out. (unless i missed that bit of info)

[Armleg]

I started reading this when it was 4 pages and its gone up to 5 now. But heres what I think.

1.If you mention guns then the police take it very seriously toy or not. This is a good thing.

2.The problem here is not the police its your situation at home. You need to sit down with everyone whom lives in the household and talk it out. If you can't do this then contact the citizens advice centre and they should be able to point you towards a council or government agency who would help you with this.

 

Oh and by the way I've never had to deal with a bad copper, although when I was 12-14 they searched my bag and failed to find my half bottle of vodka but I'm putting that down as they were just being nice.

 

Bottom line sort out your home life then sort out the police.

[Thorbard]

Exactly, which is why....

No these copper weren't reacting to a firearms incident, they were going to a domestic where there were presented with imitation firearms. I haven't got both sides of the story but from the information presented it looks like they got it wrong. These coppers were unlikely to have any concept of airsoft, or any firearms training and unfortunately it's not gone well. In many respects it was lucky an ARU wasn't out. (unless i missed that bit of info)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Fair enough, makes sense. I'm wrong, as usual.

[The Chef]

It appears I did not make my point very clear (in fact... like mud) by the looks of it. So in the interests of going wildly off topic again. I shall try and make ammends.

 

What I meant was....

 

In the event of a proceedural error (by which I mean, someone not filling in the correct forms or some such) this should not be grounds to throw out a case if there is clear proof through evidence that the person charged is guilty of an offence.

 

I did say, THERE SHOULD BE RECOURSE FOR THE PERSONS INVOLVED. By this I mean, yes they should face what ever proceedure necessary to make ammends for their balls up. Be this suspension, removal from post or criminal proceedings if the gravity calls for it, but I dont think it should call for the cancellation of the case, should there be evidence to still support the prosecution.

 

an example of my point.

 

A man commits rape and can be linked by irrefuteable forensic evidence. PC Plod goes and nicks him but forgets to caution him at the time (fairly major clanger that one), rather than dropping the case because of the proceedural screw up, the (IMO) should continue with the case, but address the proceedural error in what ever way necessary.

 

VC, bad drills for those people in your case. They deserve to be booted out. This is slightly different I think because their actions cast doubt on the evidence and tarnished it. which in that case, yes it should be dropped. Hopefully they will get everything coming to them.

If it can be clearly shown that the officers involved have attempted to interfere with the case, be that through wilful negligence or some such then yes, the case has to be dropped.

 

Admittedly, you only get to hear about the ones in which something goes badly wrong, so they may well indeed carry on with a prosecution despite an error, but I have not personally heard of one. Hopefully someone can shed light on one that may restore my faith.

 

back on topic once again....