AK47 and shotgun seized in police operations

| 24/06/2010

(CNS): Police say they are carrying out forensic tests to see if an AK-47 seized yesterday has been used in past crimes. The gun, along with a magazine for the weapon, was recovered in an intelligence led police operation on Wednesday, 23 June, from an outbuilding in the Lower Valley area.

No arrests have been made in relation to that operation and police enquiries are ongoing. However, a man anda woman were arrested on Sunday, 20 June, following the recovery of an unlicensed shotgun from a house in the East End area.

“The recovery of these guns underlines our commitment to continue to get unlicensed and illegal weapons off the streets,” said Chief Superintendent John Jones. “The amnesty was a golden opportunity for people to hand in guns – no questions asked. At the end of the amnesty we said that we would be taking a hard line with people who still owned unlicensed and illegal guns – the operations over the past few days proves that we’re doing just that! As has been reported previously, we suspect that an AK47 has been used in some of the gun crime on the islands in recent months. We are carrying out forensic testing on it to establish if this is, in fact, the weapon used in these previous crimes.”

Jones added, “We’re delighted that we’ve taken this weapon out of circulation – there’s no way to quantify how many lives have been saved now that the gun is off the streets. The bounty announced by the RCIPS and Cayman Crime Stoppers at the conclusion of the amnesty still stands. Up to CI$5,000 is available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people who hold unlicensed and illegal guns. So, if you have any information at all either about those who hold guns, or about the location of the guns, then please pass it on to us now. Your phone call could save a life.”

Information can be passed to the police or to Cayman Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS).
 

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  1. Dennie Warren Jr. says:

    The concept that “taking guns off the street” (while leaving the prospective or actual criminals on the street) will save lots oflives, is so dangerously stupid that it belongs on the stage in political satire.

    • Hallowe'en Jack says:

      Unlike the advocacy of more guns on the streets to reduce crime.  You go Second Amendment lovers, we all know that the USA has got gun rights sorted and there is hardly any gun crime there.

  2. Anonymous says:

    who cares what it is. it’s a gun that fires bullets. and thanks to the RCIP it’s now off the streets. lots more out there tho keep lookin!

    • Anonymous says:

      Umm, EVERYONE should care. This rifle can cause way more damage than a simple handgun. Its bullets are bigger & cause more "explosive" effects at the entry area.  It is a big deal, whether you think so or not.

      The sad thing is that this type of rifle is one of the most common to be smuggled illegally because of its reputation, therefore this is probably not the first, nor that last, to be found in Cayman.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Well Done Job by the Police: And a bigger praise for them in making the arrest in East End. Now you see the Police are trying to do some thing.  I support them 100% when they succeed and I sympathize when they dont’ Let us continue to praise them in all that they do inorder to help fight crime. They will not win all, and remember our Poice force is only as strong as the community.  So when you sit back and critize the police, ask yourself how much time have you put into thier efforts.  The family in East End that were arrested they be ashame of themselves, because this just goes to show, that the more respect you show a family the bigger the skelletons are  in their closet.

    I am an East Ender, love and defend my district and I am thankful to the police for whatever they achieve.  Keep the good works up.

    Mothers please stop encouraging your boys in doing wrong.  Tell them they are wrong, and if so  be, turn them over to the Police and show them who is the parent.

     

    May God Bless us all as we try to preserve our country.

  4. Anonymous says:

    It might look like an AK 47 but I don’t think it is a Kalashnikov, well done though for taking what ever it is out of circulation.

    • Anonymous says:

       

       You are correct.  It is most likely a Chinese made SKS.  These weapons originally had lamented wood stocks, a 10 round fixed magazine and a folding bayonet.  They are semi auto only weapons chambered in the same round as the AK-47 uses which is 7.62×39.  This particular gun in the picture has a replacement folding synthetic stock in lieu of the original laminated one. The bayonet has also been removed.  In addition this gun had the magazine well replaced with one that will except AK magazines.  This is not an optimal setup as the gun was never designed to fire from a detachable magazine, but most likely worked well enough.  This gun probable came from the US as they are very popular among recreational shooters as the typically sell for around $200 and cheap military surplus ammo is available for them. Historically, this gun has been out of military service for about 35 years and first served on the front lines with Russian at the end of World War II.

       

      • Plum Bum says:

        Whoever knows this much about guns is scary in an island where they are illegal.

        • Anonymous says:

          Whoever knows that much about guns, obviously had to deal with them at some point in their life.  I’m glad they’re sharing their knowledge rather than using the guns themselves. 

        • Dr. Watson says:

          No, I think what is scary is that the POLICE didn’t know the correct type of weapon and had to be corrected by a member of the public…it is not unusual for a private person to have a vast knowledge of weapons, seeing as how there are a lot of REAL veterans living in this country…

        • Anonymous says:

           In case you haven’t noticed, you are on a website. As in, the world wide web. The poster could be in the US, Japan, Trinidad…. anywhere. Silly comment.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Well done RCIP. No civilian should have this type of weapon for any reason.

    • Annonymous says:

      This is a killing machine used in combat operations…..

      • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

        Since the picture above is of an illegal firearm, those who allegedly owned it are wrong for doing so.  Nevertheless, I believe it should be legal to own that type of firearm.  I could think of a number of things which are also used in “combat operations,” such as a computer which you use, or if you’re male, the belt which I hope you’re wearing.
         
        People own firearms for reasons other than unlawfully purposes, but there are some people such as the Commissioner of Police, who appear to be making every effort to demonize firearms and private firearm ownership.  Some people visit shooting ranges for recreational shooting instead of going to a bar and getting drunk; some collect firearms; some athletes use firearms in competitions; some people hunt with firearms; and some own firearm for their lawful protection.
         
        Anything can be used as a ‘weapon’.  Section 78, paragraph 7 of the Penal Code (2007 Revision) reads: “offensive weapon” means any object made or adapted for use for causing injury to the person…”  So as an example, “…any object made…” could be a belt (legal to own), but the same belt could be “…adapted for use for causing injury…,” by strangling someone to death (illegal), but does it mean that those who own belts strangle will someone to death because they own belts?  Absolutely, not!
         
        The elites among us are trying to mislead the rest of us into believing that certain benefits are only for those who occupy certain public offices. Well, when criminals are using firearms in home invasions…, it is unreasonable to expect people to not defend themselves by means of a firearm.

        Congratulations RCIPF, but otherwise lawfully owning firearms is a good thing.

        • Anonymous says:

          I am a bit shocked at the comments to whoch I respond from Mr Warren comparing an assault rife to a computer or a belt.

          As an intelligent man it seems that he has lost his perspective on this issue to which he is so passionate.

          This assault rifle is designed to kill people. Not marksmanship, not shooting clay pigeons, not hunting but simply killing people and that is a marked difference between a computer and a belt.

          It is amazing he would make such comments and it certainly weakens his pro gun position.

           

          • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

            My perspective is crystal clear; so let’s see if you are still unable to understand the basics.  Cars, belts, knives and firearms are some examplesof lifeless objects.

            Lifeless objects cannot commit a guilty act (actus reus), and neither can they be said to have the necessary guilty mind to rob individuals or businesses (mens rea).  That is why such objects are never sent to prison.  Instead, the person(s) who misuse those lifeless objects would be imprisoned, because it is the person who can plan a robbery (mens rea), and as a result it is the person who can commit a robbery (actus reus).

            In other words, an AK-47 (SKS) in the hands of a law-abiding person is not the problem.

            For anyone to be demonizing firearms instead of blaming the criminals who misuse firearms is thinking illogically, or trying to deflect their own failure to deter the criminal behavior they claim they can deter.

            By themselves, lifeless objects cannot stab people to death; they cannot drive away from the scene of a crime; and they cannot strangle a person to death either.

            Therefore, blaming firearms for the misbehavior of criminals is as stupid as blaming pencils for misspelling words.  A six-month old can understand those things, why can’t you?
             

            • Anonymous says:

              You obviously don’t like your opinions questioned otherwise your six month old intended insult wouldn’t have been necessary. I have no intention to lower the discussion to that level.

              And unfortunately you are the one with the faulty logic by ignoring not the possible use of an object but the designed and intended use of an object.

              You are the one with the confused logic because any object can be used in a destructive way if an individual is so minded. But some objects are built and designed for its effectiveness in killing or maiming.

              A good way to determine the intended use of a weapon is to look for its primary usage such as a military weapon. The AK-47 is not the preferred weapon for deer hunting or shooting skeet rather shooting people.

              It is important to apply honesty to the logic of your desired outcome in this issue.

              Cayman has no hunting or history such as the United States to make guns a part of the society such as you seem to desire. Firearm rights will never be protected by constitutional law in Cayman; I would have thought that you would realize this fact. By the way insults will not win converts to your misguided opinions.

               

              • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

                You may question my views anytime, but claiming I have lost prospective is unwelcomed.

                Let’s consider your claim that my logic is faulty, because you feel I’m ignoring the “designed and intended use of an object” (Firearms).

                Firstly, the main point of my post is that: “By themselves, lifeless objects cannot stab people to death [knives]; they cannot drive away from the scene of a crime [cars]; and they cannot strangle a person to death either [belts]".  If anyone should be at a disadvantage, it should be the criminals and not law-abiding residents.  Is that logic faulty?

                Secondly, according to your logic, you’re suggesting that because an object was designed for doing ‘x’, it cannot be safely used to do ‘y’.  I disagree and here is why: just as the javelin and bow are now safely used in recreational activities, firearms are also safely used for recreational purposes.  Is that logic faulty?

                Finally, even other objects such as an AK-47, can be safely used by law-abiding residents for recreational shooting, regardless of their original “design and intended use” as you claim.  I can prove it.  The reason for its popularity is its cost and its ability to operate reliably; a characteristic which all equipment owners and users desire.  Is that logic faulty?

  6. talk all you like about how much USG units we need on the road, if we don’t have enough vessels out by sea protecting our borders, every one step forward will be two steps backward

  7. Anonymous says:

    Good news. Well done to the RCIPS and thank you to anyone who may have assisted the police and getting these weapons out of circulation.