UPDATE - MURDER OF ALISTAIR WILSON - NAIRN
THE officer leading the investigation into the murder of Nairn banker Alistair Wilson has said he is pleased with the response to appeals for information about the murder weapon.
DCI Peter MacPhee issued a nationwide media appeal on Tuesday for information on the weapon pulled from a drain by workmen in Nairn's Seabank Road just days after the father of two was shot on his doorstep in Crescent Road last November.
And last night he appeared on BBC's Crimewatch programme to appeal to anyone who may have information about the weapon or people who may have been in possession of one.
There have been around two dozen calls made to Police through the Incident Room and the studio itself.
DCI MacPhee said: "It is too early yet to establish how useful the calls will be to the inquiry, but all calls will now be followed up.
"The inquiry is very much alive and a lot of work has been done. Much work has still to be done."
He added: "Some of the calls related to names of people who may have had a similar type gun in their possession."
The gun itself is just four and a half inches long and weighs just under 400g. This type of weapon is commonly referred to as a pocket gun, waistcoat or ladies gun because of its size. Its magazine is capable of holding six rounds.
The gun was produced between 1922 and 1930 by a company called Haenel Waffen of Suhl in Germany, but was designed and patented by Hugo Schmeisser, whose name was later associated with a famous sub-machine gun.
The ammunition used was a .25 calibre bullet, only manufactured by Sellier and Bellot of Vlasim in the Czech Republic.
DCI MacPhee added: "I am interested in speaking to anyone who has had a gun like this in the past, including those who may have taken one back from the Second World War as a war trophy.
"It may also be the case that someone has passed one of these weapons on or had had one stolen. We would like to speak to all of these people.
"Obviously these types of weapons were illegal to own or buy after 1997. Whilst I cannot offer immunity to anyone who comes forward what I can say is that my primary aim is to solve the murder of Alistair Wilson." ends