WESTERN BUREAU – The police yesterday expressed concern about the number of firearms owned by licenced holders which have been left unclaimed at the Freeport Police Station in Montego Bay.

Camille Tracy, liaison officer for the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) – the police’s information arm – said contacts have been made with some of the owners but they failed to turn up and claim their weapons.

“Some of the guns are in police custody from as far back as 1989 and no one has come to claim them; we are trying to make the contact with as many people as possible,” Tracy told the Observer. “Some of the guns have been obsolete and cannot be repaired and we are seeking the owners’ permission to destroy them,” she added.

The CCN liaison officer said more than 30 guns have been left at the station because:

. some of the owners migrated;

. owners died and relatives handed over the guns to the police;

. some of the weapons are so old that the owners do not bother to come for them but instead purchase new guns.

In the meantime, a number of people, including police officers, said they have been unable to acquire licences to purchase firearms due to the “long, tedious process” that they would have to go through before their applications are processed.

One policeman at the Freeport Police station, who spoke on the grounds of anonymity, said he had been trying to get a firearm licence for more than four years, while others, including persons of “questionable characters”, have been given licences just months after applying.