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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Anonymous gun tip-offs proposed | Anonymous gun tip-offs proposed |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| People could be encouraged to tip-off police anonymously about illegal guns under a proposed government scheme. | People could be encouraged to tip-off police anonymously about illegal guns under a proposed government scheme. |
| The Home Office says people could pass on information to a third party and retain their anonymity. | The Home Office says people could pass on information to a third party and retain their anonymity. |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is also considering setting up a network of "drop-off zones" where guns can be handed in anonymously. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is also considering setting up a network of "drop-off zones" where guns can be handed in anonymously. |
| It comes amid a major police investigation into the fatal shooting of Rhys Jones, 11, on Wednesday. | It comes amid a major police investigation into the fatal shooting of Rhys Jones, 11, on Wednesday. |
| Police in Liverpool said they had been disappointed by the public response to an appeal for locals to identify the killer. | Police in Liverpool said they had been disappointed by the public response to an appeal for locals to identify the killer. |
| See where teenagers were killed across England | See where teenagers were killed across England |
| A Home Office spokesman said trials would run in areas where gun crime was worst. The government is in talks with the police about exactly where and when these would take place. | A Home Office spokesman said trials would run in areas where gun crime was worst. The government is in talks with the police about exactly where and when these would take place. |
| About half of all gun crime takes place in the cities of Liverpool, Manchester and London, he said. | About half of all gun crime takes place in the cities of Liverpool, Manchester and London, he said. |
| The scheme would not be an amnesty for illegal weapons, rather an attempt to get them off the streets, the Home Office said. | The scheme would not be an amnesty for illegal weapons, rather an attempt to get them off the streets, the Home Office said. |
| In an interview in Sunday's News of the World, Ms Smith said people who knew where firearms were hidden or were holding them for a relative or friend needed to be able to come forward without revealing their identity. | |
| Mums or sisters or brothers may know there is someone in their family who has got a gun Jacqui SmithHome Secretary | Mums or sisters or brothers may know there is someone in their family who has got a gun Jacqui SmithHome Secretary |
| "Sometimes people directly ask friends or other members of their family to look after their guns for them," she said. | "Sometimes people directly ask friends or other members of their family to look after their guns for them," she said. |
| "Mums or sisters or brothers may know there is someone in their family who has got a gun. | |
| "They know it's wrong and they want to find a way to get that gun off their family member and make sure they are not able to use it and get themselves into the trouble they are obviously going to get themselves into." | "They know it's wrong and they want to find a way to get that gun off their family member and make sure they are not able to use it and get themselves into the trouble they are obviously going to get themselves into." |
| Ms Smith said people needed to be able to go somewhere to hand in weapons or pass on information anonymously, without necessarily contacting the police directly. | |
| 11-year-old Rhys Jones was shot dead in Liverpool | 11-year-old Rhys Jones was shot dead in Liverpool |
| "The most suitable place may not be a local police station, it may be a voluntary organisation that can work with the police and others where family members can go to and feel confident they can get that gun off the streets or out of their family home," she said. | "The most suitable place may not be a local police station, it may be a voluntary organisation that can work with the police and others where family members can go to and feel confident they can get that gun off the streets or out of their family home," she said. |
| "This means we can actually take that gun out of circulation and stop it from doing harm." | "This means we can actually take that gun out of circulation and stop it from doing harm." |
| The Home Office stressed there would be no amnesty for people who possessed illegal firearms and police would always need to investigate any weapon in relation to crimes committed. | The Home Office stressed there would be no amnesty for people who possessed illegal firearms and police would always need to investigate any weapon in relation to crimes committed. |
| "We want to work with the police to create a scheme whereby members of the public can tip off a third party if they know someone is in possession of a gun or, if they find a gun, hand it in to that third party themselves," a spokesman said. | "We want to work with the police to create a scheme whereby members of the public can tip off a third party if they know someone is in possession of a gun or, if they find a gun, hand it in to that third party themselves," a spokesman said. |
| "The third party would then liaise with the police, protecting the anonymity of the informer." | "The third party would then liaise with the police, protecting the anonymity of the informer." |
| Anyone wishing to inform on people anonymously can already do so via Crimestoppers. | Anyone wishing to inform on people anonymously can already do so via Crimestoppers. |
| Return | Return |