Police swoop on UK house after fears voiced over owner's 48 guns
Armed police have carried out a search on a property in the West Midlands after a report that "numerous guns" were being kept there.
Officers in Brownhills, Walsall, were sent out to the area when a concerned healthcare professional reported that they had seen the weapons.
During their search of the address, they discovered a total of 48 assault rifles, shotguns and handguns.
However, after physical inspections of the guns police confirmed that all of them were either replica guns or airsoft guns — which shoot plastic balls instead of bullets.
The occupier was warned that they could be committing an offence if they take any of the replicas out of the house.
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Officers said the occupant could risk being challenged by police if spotted in public with the replica weapons.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police told Birmingham Live : "This week our officers visited an address after a report from a concerned health professional who witnessed numerous guns within a premises.
"On attendance our officers identified numerous Assault Rifles, Shotguns & Handguns at the location (48 in total).
"Armed response officers also attended and after a physical check on all the guns it was confirmed they were airsoft and replica guns."
They added: "Our officers explained the dangers of owning such a collection to the occupier and highlighted the offences that could be committed by taking any of the guns out of the house into public areas."
"They continued: "Being in a public place with such a realistic replica gun could also bring the inherent risk of being engaged/challenged by Armed Police Officers."