CHILDREN playing in the woods near Rockridge secondary in West Vancouver found two pistols late Tuesday afternoon, according to police.
The children stumbled on a starter pistol and an antique Webley .455 from the seldom-travelled area, according to West Vancouver Police Department spokesman Const. Jeff Palmer.
(They) picked it up, had a look at them, and then realized, Wow, we need to call somebody, he said.
Both guns were rusty and appeared to have been damaged by exposure to the weather. Neither pistol has a serial number.
(We) dont really have an explanation of how they got there, Palmer said. Definitely an odd one.
Police have not made a link between the pistols and any crimes.
We dont have any outstanding reports of weapons like these being stolen, Palmer said.
The Webley six-shot revolver was originally used by British Empire troops in the 1899 Boer War. While not standard issue, the Webley was also used by some Canadian soldiers in the First World War. The pistol was discontinued in the early 1960s.
An incident like this demonstrates the importance of the provincial gun amnesty program, according to Palmer.
Although they were unloaded, theres always the risk of: What if they werent unloaded and a kid finds them? Palmer said.
West Vancouver police have collected 26 firearms under the amnesty.
During the month of June, any West Vancouverite wanting to surrender ammunition or weapons can call police at 604-925-7300. A police officer will arrive at the owners home to pick up the weapons. Firearm owners should not bring their guns to the police.
jshepherd@nsnews.com
