A 19th-century military firearm was among about 30 weapons surrendered to Dandenong police in the first month of a weapons amnesty.
Sergeant Andrew Smart said the .303-calibre rifle, thought to have been used in the Boer War, was among a cache of arms crushed by a 100-tonne press at a laboratory in Macleod and then recycled.
As was the case for other surrendered weapons, no compensation was offered for the rifle — despite its obvious value.
Other surrendered arms include 22-calibre guns, slug guns and bayonets.
“It’s mainly been your average mum and dad who have gone through a deceased estate, found a weapon and haven’t known how to get rid of them,” Sergeant Smart said. “If you come across a weapon, contact the police station. We accept any weapon — no questions are asked.”
Firearms that aren’t registered with Victoria Police or held without a licence are classified as illegal.
They can be surrendered, without prosecution, during the amnesty, which ends November 30.
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