Cops seize 13 air rifles and ammo, arrest three

Three men have been arrested in connection with the dumping of 13 air rifles and 100 rounds of ammunition in a Tai Kok Tsui industrial building on Wednesday night which triggered a firearm scare.

It is understood that the rifles belonged to a gun enthusiast with an arms license who died two decades ago.

The three men aged between 22 to 37 - including the owner's son and two renovation workers who allegedly dumped the imitation guns - were arrested for possession of arms without license, possession of imitation firearm and possessing offensive weapon. They are being detained for further investigation.

A security guard reported to the police at around 7pm on Wednesday that suspected rifles were found near a garbage bin of the On Yip Factory Building in Tai Kok Tsui.

Officers seized 13 guns and some 100 rounds of ammunition, as well as a suitcase and some wooden and styrofoam boxes. Preliminary examination showed the rifles are air guns but the ammunition seized was live bullets, sources said.

Officers arrested the three men separately in Tseung Kwan O, Tai Po and Hung Hom in the early hours yesterday after reviewing the surveillance camera footage of the building.

Sources said the air rifles and ammunition belonged to a gun enthusiast, who held an arms license.

After his death 20 years ago, the imitation guns and ammunition had been stored in his house at Silverstrand in Sai Kung.

It is understood the owner's widow and son recently began renovating the Silverstrand house and asked a renovation company to empty the house.

Sources said two renovation workers took the air rifles and ammunition back to the company at On Yip Factory Building before dumping them on the street.

Family members of deceased licensed arms holders must return the guns and ammunition, as well as the arms license, to the police licensing office.

Those who fail to do so commit the offense of possession of arms or ammunition without license under the Firearms and Ammunition Ordinance and can be jailed for up to 14 years and fined HK$100,000.

A firearm scare also occurred in the SAR last week, as citizens noticed a man sleeping at Un Chau Street Municipal Services Building in Sham Shui Po while he held a suspected gun on June 20.

The police later seized an imitation gun from the 58-year-old man and arrested him for possession of imitation firearm and loitering.