Almost a dozen guns stolen in Nottinghamshire last year

The Gun Control Network said the figures, which show hundreds of guns are lost and stolen nationally each year, are ‘appalling’ and criticised owners who lose their weapons.

The Home Office said the UK has some of the toughest gun laws in the world and enforcement agencies ‘will work quickly to crack down on criminals who illegally obtain firearms’.

Its figures show 10 shotguns were stolen in the year to March, down from 11 the year before.

Though no guns were lost in the area last year, two were reported missing in 2020-21.

Across England and Wales, 439 firearms and shotguns were reported lost or stolen in the year to March, a 20 per cent rise from 365 the previous year. Of these, 165 were lost and 274 were stolen.

While shotguns and rifles accounted for the majority of lost or stolen guns, other types reported missing included handguns, pistols and sound moderators.

Gun owners are required by law to report a stolen weapon within seven days.

The National Crime Agency said gun crime in the UK continues to be relatively low compared with mainland Europe, but recognised ‘some criminals may try to obtain firearms illegally through theft from lawful licence holders’.

A GCN spokesman said: “Anybody who loses a weapon is not fit to own a weapon.

“They are actually in breach of the technical requirements of the licence, that it must be kept safe and secure.”

A Home Office spokesman said police have powers to revoke a firearm certificate, if the holder does not store their weapon securely.

The number of people seeing their licences revoked has also increased.

Last year, 385 firearms licences were removed from owners, up from 306 the year prior, while a further 1,075 shotgun licences were revoked, up from 982.

Among them were 43 firearm and shotgun licences revoked in Nottinghamshire.

Overall, 278 applications for a firearm or shotgun licence from people living in the area were accepted, down from 294 in 2020-21.

It means 7,837 people are now authorised to use guns in the area.