Police Scotland have shared a list of weapons it will soon no longer be legal to own in your home - and you could be paid for surrendering them.
The list, issued under the Scottish Government's Surrender and Compensation Scheme for knives and bladed weapons, has been published ahead of the Government banning ownership of 21 weapons, including butterfly knives and knuckledusters.
While it was already a criminal offence to have these weapons in public, keeping them in the home will also soon be considered a criminal offence. The date it will become illegal to have the weapons at home has yet to be set.
Members of the public are being urged to hand any weapons in to a listed police station before September 30 in exchange for compensation from the Scottish Government.
Any weapons handed in after this date will be confiscated and owners may not be entitled to compensation.
Police also shared the Government's guidance on what documents are required to claim compensation - such as proof of ownership and photo ID - and the scheme further states that anyone surrendering a weapon must fill out a claim form which can be downloaded from the scheme's website before attending a station. The value of the weapon or combined value of weapons must also be £30 or more before compensation can be claimed.
A full list of weapons covered by the scheme and the cost for surrendering each weapon is listed below.
Balisong or butterfly knife - £9
A blade enclosed by its handle. The handle splits down the middle, without the operation of a spring or other mechanical means, to show the blade.
Belt buckle knife - £5
A buckle which incorporates or conceals a knife.
Blowpipe or blow gun - £14
A hollow tube which shoots hard pellets or darts using your breath.
Cyclone knife or spiral knife - £30
A weapon with a handle and a blade with 2 or more cutting edges, each of which forms a helix, and a sharp point at the end of the blade.
Disguised knife - £5
Any knife with a hidden blade or hidden sharp point that looks like an everyday object. This could be a comb, brush, pen, cigarette lighter, key, lipstick or phone.
Flick knife or flick gun - £20
Knives that can be opened by something not in the handle. This includes any knife that opens automatically from a closed position or partly opened position, to a fully opened position by pushing a button, spring or other device in the knife or attached to the knife.
Footclaw - £7
A bar of metal or other hard material that sharp spikes stick out from. Footclaws attach to shoes.
Gravity knife - £40
A knife with a blade in its handle. The blade opens by the force of gravity. It uses a button, trigger, or fulcrum lever to open and close the blade, and may use a side-folding or telescoping blade.
Handclaw - £9
A band of metal or other hard material that sharp spikes stick out from. Handclaws are worn around the hand.
Hollow kubotan - £3
A cylindrical container with sharp spikes.
Knuckleduster - £2
A band of metal or other hard material worn on one or more fingers and designed to injure someone else. This also includes any weapon that includes a knuckleduster.
Kusarigama - £35
Rope, cord, wire or chain tied at one end to a sickle.
Kyoketsu shoge - £20
Rope, cord, wire or chain tied at one end to a hooked knife.
Manrikigusari or kusari - £10
Rope, cord, wire or chain tied at each end to a hard weight or a hand grip.
Push dagger - £2
A knife with a handle that fits in your closed fist. The blade appears between two fingers.
Shuriken or shaken or death star - £5
A hard plate with three or more sharp radiating points. Made to be thrown.
Stealth knife - £3
A knife or spike made from a material that is not recognised by a metal detector. Not used to prepare food or as a toy.
Truncheon or baton - £10
A straight, side handled or friction lock truncheon. It may also be called a baton. h
Swordstick - £12
A hollow walking stick or cane containing a sword.
Telescopic truncheon - £20
A truncheon that opens automatically by pressing a button, spring or other device in or attached to the handle.
Zombie knife - £10
A blade with a cutting edge and a serrated edge with images or words (on the blade or handle) that suggest that it's for the purpose of violence.
Weapons must be safe to handle for the person handing them in, and the police. The weapon should be wrapped up and placed in a bag or box so that it is not visible.
The Scottish Government will send the money either as a bank transfer or a cheque.
Police Scotland's Chief Inspector Nicola Robison said: “We are supporting the Scottish Government’s surrender and compensation scheme as part of the Offensive Weapons Act. The scheme is designed to encourage owners of specific offensive weapons to hand them into designated police stations until 30 September and ahead of the new legislation which will see private ownership become illegal.
“All weapons surrendered will be destroyed in a controlled manner on conclusion of the scheme and in line with previous weapons amnesties.”
The location of listed police stations, where weapons must be handed in to, are available to view on the Scottish Government website.
There are some exemptions for people being allowed to keep weapons, such as using them for work or in an educational setting. More details are available here.
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