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<p>In the year ending September 2018, the police forces of England and Wales recorded
1,342 offences involving an imitation firearm, a 20% fall compared with the previous
year (1,668 offences). Statistics about imitation firearms which have been seized
by police forces are not recorded by the Home Office.</p><p>Existing legislation ensures
that there are controls in place relating to imitation firearms. The Policing and
Crime Act 2017 introduced a new offence to prevent the unlawful conversion of imitation
firearms, and other controls include specifications on the manufacture of blank firing
imitation firearms, and legislation to ensure that readily convertible imitation firearms
must be held on a firearms certificate.</p><p>It is an offence to possess an imitation
firearm with the intent to cause someone to fear that unlawful violence will be used
against them or another person. Imitation firearms which are difficult to distinguish
from real firearms are subject to specific controls. The Violent Crime Reduction Act
2006 specifies that the size, shape and principal colour are to be taken into account
in determining whether an imitation firearm is to be considered a realistic imitation
firearm. There are a number of legitimate activities in relation to the possession
of realistic imitation firearms, including for the purposes of historical re-enactment
and airsoft skirmishing.</p><p>Firearms legislation and controls, including in relation
to imitation firearms, are kept under review to ensure we have the right intelligence,
detection and enforcement capabilities and policies in place to prevent the misuse
of firearms.</p>
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