Police visit

[jase74]

Hi all

I had a visit from the police today saying that there has been several incidents of cats being shot with an air rifle and he thinks I am the one responsible, he asked me if I shot my rifle in my garden and I told him I did,he said he did not want me to shoot my gun in the garden any more and he had the pellets that were removed from the cats,If I continue to shoot in my garden and he gets a complaint he would come with a warrant and seize my gun to see if he could match the pellets from injured cats to my gun.I told him to take the gun there and then as I have nothing to hide, he refused and said he does not want to go down that road yet.After I told him I do some pest control work on some local farms he said I should apply for a fac to get a rimfire rifle!! The main thing that bothers me is i use to really enjoy plinking in my back garden with my son and now cannot do so for fear of these threats of "seizure of guns"

best wishes

Jase

[jase74]

oops wrong place to post this help how do i move this without re writing it


Jase

[Joel_Barritt]

Know exactly how you feel mate i had a neighbour have a go at me recently while i was shooting my pistols in the backgarden despite the fact id done nothing wrong now every time im out there im half expecting the police to turn up at my door

[Baldie]

Hi all

I had a visit from the police today saying that there has been several incidents of cats being shot with an air rifle and he thinks I am the one responsible, he asked me if I shot my rifle in my garden and I told him I did,he said he did not want me to shoot my gun in the garden any more and he had the pellets that were removed from the cats,If I continue to shoot in my garden and he gets a complaint he would come with a warrant and seize my gun to see if he could match the pellets from injured cats to my gun.I told him to take the gun there and then as I have nothing to hide, he refused and said he does not want to go down that road yet.After I told him I do some pest control work on some local farms he said I should apply for a fac to get a rimfire rifle!! The main thing that bothers me is i use to really enjoy plinking in my back garden with my son and now cannot do so for fear of these threats of "seizure of guns"

best wishes

Jase

Hopefully you have BASC insurance for this. Consult them.

TBH you've already offered your rifle and he has refused. He can seize the rifle (evidence) if he believes it's been used in a crime, which shooting cats ought to be. Stopping you from 'plinking' won't help protect the cats sadly, but might help keep you away from further problems with your neighbours.

The Police aren't your problem, the ****er shooting the cats is.

Good luck.

[lionel]

You need to ask the policeman one question: what evidence does he have for accusing you of shooting the cats? It may be that he's saying the same thing to everyone in the area with an airgun in the hope that he strikes lucky. If what you say is the full story then it sounds like very poor police work to me - like telling some random motorist to stop driving just because there was a hit and run in his street.

And what possible right does this policeman have to tell you what weapons to use for pest control on the local farm? Since using an ordinary air rifle for this purpose is perfecly legal, the policeman's' opinion is entirely irrelevant. If this copper is such a hive of useful information and opinions please give me his number and I'll ask him where I can get a cheaper mortgage and how best to combat global warming.

Lionel

[Ray J]

Was he a real copper?

You aught to have asked.

What makes him think you have an Air Rifle.

Where abouts the cats were shot?

Who's cats were they.

What distance from your garden?

What direction?

What make and callibre were the pellet's. That could have confused him.

It sounds more like someone has made a complaint about you plinking and he's trumpt up the one about cats.

For what reason does he think you are the one responsible? He must have a witness who saw you. Your brief will want to know the name.

Why didn't he take you up on your offer, just to illiminate you from his enquiries?

Are you keeping your pellets under control? Not allowing them to leave your property?

I would have told him to sod off and that I'd no intention of quitting plinking in my back garden.

Then again, I'm not afraid to tell a copper to get of my property

If he comes again and says he has a warrent. You don't have to let him in, or onto your property without one. Ask him to produce it and make sure you read it. He can only act within the framework of the warrent. Make a note of the Magistrate who issued it.

Stand your ground don't let them push you arround. He's accused you of being the person responsible.

Make a list of your questions and make a complaint to his superiors.

I have respect for the law and the officers of the law. They have a tough job to do. There are some real nasty crim's out there. But the public have rights. It's not a police state, yet!

If you've got the time get a freebie half hour with a brief.

Ray

[zebedee71]

Tell im to MIFF OFF !!!

He can NOT stop you from shooting in your garden WITHOUT PROOF that your shots have strayed from your land. The testing of pellets is a wad of crap too. Do you know HOW HARD it would be to get a ballistic match from a mass manafactured barrel?????????? lets just say it is hughly unlikely. The only chance they have is if there is an imperfection in your rifling and id DOES clearly match your barrel profile.

You did the right thing offering him to test it out there n then and as for him telling you to get a FAC again tell him to MIFF OFF.

You should have asked for his details AND a warrant card before letting him in your house. No card no powers!!!!!!!!!

You have done NOTHING wrong therefore they can NOT stop you using your garden to zero your rifle in as long as NO shots wether intended OR NOT stray over your land boundary without a court order which again is a real drag to obtain and highly unlikely.

If you lived in the NE i would invite you to shoot in my yard Bud!!!

Zeb

[robinghewitt]

Like el Ploddo are going to pay specialist forensics to match an air rifle to a recovered pellet so the courts can give you 2 hours community service for shooting a cat? <ROFLMAO>

But before you get too cocky, think, is there anyone who might be playing with your toys while you're out?

[Rapidnick]

Ray makes a lot of good points. As jase offered to let the Police test his rifle against pellets found in cats he is quite clearly not the person shooting them! He should not permit an individual-presumably junior- police officer to tell him to stop plinking on his own land. Fun shooting on your own property is carefully controlled but nevertheless legal so the policeman who told jase to stop is clearly on a fishing expedition. Personally I would write to the Chief Constable but there again I always have been a believer in going straight to the top with a complaint!

[Chris St. MH]

Like el Ploddo are going to pay specialist forensics to match an air rifle to a recovered pellet so the courts can give you 2 hours community service for shooting a cat? <ROFLMAO>

It depends how much of a hard-on the local police have for airguns - or indeed people shooting at pets. If someone shot my cat I'd happliy pay the forensics bill to see the c*** prosecuted. Two hours community service would be the least of his worries.

[Rapidnick]

It depends how much of a hard-on the local police have for airguns - or indeed people shooting at pets. If someone shot my cat I'd happliy pay the forensics bill to see the c*** prosecuted. Two hours community service would be the least of his worries.

Totally agree!
On a lighter note my beautiful Lilac Burmese cat is so stupid she likes stalking around my target area disappearing around trees and then sticking her head out like a child going 'boo'! Whenever I shoot I am really careful to know where she is all the time-shut indooors- but it is nonetheless worrying. A little bit like at my club where at the end of the range we very often see foxes and rabbits cross over and once even a little muntjak!

[Mad Pierre]

Some good advice here, although I wouldn't be too keen to order a Police Officer off my property, they do have a statutory right of entry anywhere they believe a crime has been committed.
I have experience of a police visit, just the one, but by two well armed firearms officers after a call from my neighbour (you know the type that believe they know it all). These chaps knew their stuff, they also knew a 'domestic' when they saw it. I had to be resolute in my defence of my rights though and until I convinced them that I knew what I was doing they treated me like a complete idiot. I suspect cats have been shot in your area as the Police don't need to invent excuses to put the frighteners on you. It is far easier to scare you than to actually do anything against you. If you stop shooting in your garden his life will be easier and he will have solved the problem without having to do the mandatory hours of paperwork.

You have a right to use your gun in your garden, but before you do - get a chrono and make sure your backstop is in order. Also make sure the guns are locked away so no-one else can access them without your knowledge. You have your rights but you also have the most to lose.....Oh and join BASC as a sub 12FPE airgun member, they have the ability to put the wind up the Coppers Chief Constable if the guy goes too far.

[verminhunter]

The only thing the police officer can do to is take your gun,have it examined to match the pellets found in the cats,every barrel has a story to tell,so if you know yourself that it ain't you ,dont worry,gun will be returned back and you in the clear,as to stop you from shooting in the back garden is utter baloney,can't do or say that as long as your pellets do not leave your boundery your safe .

PS.Hope they find the to--er doing this,good shooting.
PPS.About rimfire,I dont think he really knows what he's on about,tell him to stick to road traffic control.

[Professor]

Was he a real copper?

You aught to have asked.

What makes him think you have an Air Rifle.

Where abouts the cats were shot?

Who's cats were they.

What distance from your garden?

What direction?

What make and callibre were the pellet's. That could have confused him.

It sounds more like someone has made a complaint about you plinking and he's trumpt up the one about cats.

Excellent points.

The point is, neither you nor your son shot the cats, and it is perfectly legal to shoot your airgun in the garden, as long as no pellets leave the premises.

For what it's worth, I'd say you should contact the officer and say you intend to continue shooting responsibly in your garden, and invite him agian to take the rifle for a check.

We have too few freedoms already, this kind of administrative interference only seeks to reduce the rights of law abiding people even more.

Enjoy your hobby.

[Professor]

Some good advice here, although I wouldn't be too keen to order a Police Officer off my property, they do have a statutory right of entry anywhere they believe a crime has been committed.

And that's right too. Firm, informed, politeness is the way forward. It never fails to impress unless you're dealing with a nutter, which is very unlikely in this situation.