Firearms

Crimes involving firearms remain relatively rare in the UK. Fear of gun crime by the public is, relatively speaking, much higher than for other types of violent crime and some communities in the UK perceive that they have become stigmatised as “gun culture hotspots”.

Around two thirds of recorded gun crime in England and Wales takes place in four police force areas: London (the Metropolitan Police District), Greater Manchester, Merseyside and the West Midlands.

It’s linked predominantly to street gangs. That said, organised criminals at all levels are unlikely to have difficulty in acquiring a firearm.

Other types of firearm

Around 8,000-9,000 guns are deactivated in the UK each year. They pose a threat as they are legally available and may easily be mistaken for conventional firearms.

Converted firearms constitute just under half of all lethal-barrelled weapons recovered by the police in England and Wales. They are easier to acquire and cheaper than real guns and therefore more attractive to criminals.

Find out more about gun crime now

For further information, have a look at the firearm crime section of the UK Threat Assessment (765.62 kb PDF)

Click here more information on Armed robbery.

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