POLICE in Suffolk are taking part in a national amnesty for anyone in possession of an Olympic .380 BBM revolver.This follows an announcement from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) last week that this particular type of revolver - commonly known as a 'blank firer'- had been identified as 'readily-convertible' under the provision of the Firearms Act 1982.

POLICE in Suffolk are taking part in a national amnesty for anyone in possession of an Olympic .380 BBM revolver.

This follows an announcement from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) last week that this particular type of revolver - commonly known as a 'blank firer'- had been identified as 'readily-convertible' under the provision of the Firearms Act 1982. That in turn makes it a prohibited weapon under Section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968.

The amnesty will run until Friday, June 4 and will be for the sole purpose of handing in this specific type of revolver in either its converted or unconverted form. They can be handed in at any time to any police station with Suffolk.

Anyone who has this type of revolver and fails to do so could be prosecuted for possession of a prohibited weapon, for which there is a five-year mandatory prison sentence.

Assistant Chief Constable Sue Fish, force leader on criminal use of firearms said: 'We are acting today to deal with the threat posed by criminal use of this firearm to communities in the UK. Our action means that any individual in possession of an unconverted or converted Olympic .380 BBM revolver should hand it in now or at their earliest opportunity.'

Anyone with information about firearms incidents or those who possess or have access to illegal firearms should contact Suffolk Police on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.