VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

[Panoptes]

I had the UK Border Agency phone me the other day, enquiring as to the legitimacy of a club member who had imported a RIF. They phoned me on my mobile number and when questioned, I said "yes, he's currently a valid UKARA member". They were happy with just that, said thanks and rang-off.

Can anyone see a major potential flaw in this so-called 'system' of checks?...

[Planemo]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

What was the point of even bothering to make the call!

[Wrighty]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

ooo think i mite order from overseas then hahaha

[gijohn2]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

The UKARA is one big flaw dont you know this?

[Panoptes]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

What was the point of even bothering to make the call!

Exactly. Anyone can give them 'Dave, my mate's' number and get him to say they're the site admin... It's a joke.

[Rampage]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

Ok to try and stop this turning into a rant thread, look at it from their point of view.

"What is enough legal defence?"

They do not yet know, as no one has gone to court for importing a R.I.F and been charged. Until then they have no real level as to what to actually look/check on.

[Panoptes]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

They could have at least asked me to verify the guy's Site Number.

[Millzy]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

I don't have a ukara number thing. But I've bought guns from popular uk retailers & asked them to phone my local site organiser. They did, & a few days later my toys arrived! I was always honest & said I was an airsofter, just didn't have a ukara number. I suppose they're just covering their own backs. A bit silly though . . .

[westywesty84]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

Thats always been a loop hole that makes a complete mockery of the whole 'defence' system.

Whats to say i want to buy a RIF off yourself from here, I have no UKARA, but say 'Heres my local sites owners number 07********* his names Joe Bloggs, he'll provide my defence' and i give you my number and i pretend to be Joe Bloggs?!

I understand why the VCRA has come into play, but theres nothing solid defining what we can use as a 'defense'. It would be easier if we could get a RIF Owners Licence or something similair to a FAC.
I think the government decided they needed to be seen to be doing something about the amount of 'terror' certain hoodies etc were causing on our streets. But didnt want to put the time and effort into governing it as closely as Air weapons or actual Firearms.

Another thing that puzzles me is, you can buy an air pistol under 6ft/lb that is a RIF ie Revolver types or CP88's for example, just by giving your name and address and being over 18, but you cant do that with say a TM1911?? (unless theres something im missing?)

[Rampage]

They could have at least asked me to verify the guy's Site Number.

Until they have reason to have to ask for more information, they clearly feel they have enough evidence to allow the item through.

As I said, until a court rules that "you didn't have enough evidence" there is no reason for them to obtain further proof.

Thats always been a loop hole that makes a complete mockery of the whole 'defence' system.

Whats to say i want to buy a RIF off yourself from here, I have no UKARA, but say 'Heres my local sites owners number 07********* his names Joe Bloggs, he'll provide my defence' and i give you my number and i pretend to be Joe Bloggs?!

Then Joe Blogs uses that weapon for criminal purposes, get's arrested, goes to trial, and a bar gets set to proove that simply phoning 07******* is not enough evidence.

It is a new law, all new laws take a while before they have boundaries.

** edit, just to add, the longer it takes for a level to be set, just goes to show you that the system is actually working, as no one is going to court for R.I.F related VCRA offences.

[Gaffa]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

Chances are parts of the VCRA OCT '07 are going to be repealed anyway.

[Fizzy]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

just goes to show you that the system is actually working, as no one is going to court for R.I.F related VCRA offences.

Working, or just that no one cares? We've had people on here selling RIFs to minors and people with no defence and sites doing the same. I think it might have been Murta that reported a site for doing it. What happened? Nothing!

Of course the verification is a joke. The VCRA has several holes. I mean, what does having UKARA prove? The specific defence states that you must be a regular skirmisher. Ok, so I go 3 times in no less than 2 months, get my site membership, number and I'm registered on the UKARA database. After 11 months and 29 days of never going skirmishing I buy a RIF because I'm registered on the UKARA database. Am I a regular skirmisher?

However, at the end of the day, the specific defence we have allowed us to keep our RIFs and continue to buy them. Would you prefer to use two tones Panoptes? :p

[Evilllamas]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

How I hate UKARA... the other HUGE loophole in it, is that if I did want to hold up a shop, I could simply buy a bright orange airsoft handgun, get some spray paint, spray it black... and have a nice new RiF to rob the local corner shop with.... The only people the UKARA impedes, are legitimate skirmishers!

[Splitter]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

Or get your hands on a real one and spray it a nice bright colour mmmm green or orange.

[sebct]

Re: VCRA Defence Verification is a FARCE

@Evilllamas - That is exactly it. This also the case with the ban on pistols and other firearms in this country. It just means that only the criminals have guns!