Dozens injured due to air gun offences, say West Mercia Police
Air pistols, ball-bearing and pellet guns were used in 142 crimes in the West Mercia Police area over the past three years, it has been revealed.
They resulted in injuries to 53 members of the public over the same period according to the figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
There were a total of 41 crimes committed during the 12 months up until April, causing 18 injuries.
The figures are lower than for the neighbouring West Midlands force, however, where there were a total of 524 offences over the past three years, causing a total of 160 injuries.
West Mercia Police spokeswoman Sarah-Jane Lynch said: "Over the past three years, there have been a number of incidents involving ball-bearing guns and other air weapons, including several incidents in which people have been injured.
"Any air weapon which discharges a certain level of power is classed as a 'lethal barrelled weapon'. Therefore, dependent on the type and velocity of the BB gun they may or not be prohibited.
"We will continue to investigate all incidents where someone has been injured by an air weapon, and act accordingly dependant on the type of weapon."
The West Mercia figures show a gradual fall in the number of offences over the past three years.
In 2012/13 there were a total of 56 offences, 37 involving air weapons and 19 involving ball-bearing guns.
The following year, the number of crimes fell to 45, with 27 involving air weapons and 18 involving ball-bearing guns. Last year there were 30 crimes involving air weapons, and 11 involving ball-bearing guns.
The number of injuries has been relatively steady over the same period, with 18 being injured in 2012/13, 17 in 2013/14, and 18 in 2014/15.
No West Mercia Police officers have been injured by such weapons over the past three years, but over the boundary in Staffordshire PC Jon King was shot by a gas-powered gun in Rugeley last year.
Under present legislation, the weapons cannot be sold to children under the age of 18.
However, anyone aged 14 or over is allowed to fire one, unsupervised, on private land with the owner's permission.
Only the most powerful air weapons require a firearms certificate.
