British Columbians can unload old guns, ammunition – any unwanted firearms or weapons – and ensure they never end up in the hands of criminals during a province-wide amnesty Oct. 1-31.

The month-long amnesty will apply to any documented or undocumented firearms and other weapons – including restricted and prohibited ones – that have not been used for a criminal purpose, as well as to any amount of ammunition.

Firearms and ammunition surrendered during the amnesty will be destroyed. Police also anticipate receiving tips related to other unwanted and unauthorized firearms.

In the past decade, two previous British Columbia firearms amnesties in 2006 and 2013 have yielded more than 5,000 firearms – including 900 handguns and two machine guns – plus approximately 127,500 rounds of ammunition. Among hundreds of other weapons surrendered were a rocket launcher, a military missile, historical rifles and antique bayonets.

Cranbrook RCMP remind interested firearms owners to call their local detachment or their department’s non-emergency line to arrange for officers to attend and retrieve the weapons. Under no circumstances should anyone deliver them to police. Please contact the Cranbrook Detachment at 250-489-3471.

“Please do not attend the Cranbrook Detachment with any weapons. The Cranbrook RCMP will make arrangements to attend and deal with any weapons that people wish to turn over for destruction,” explained Cst. Katie Forgeron.

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