Best option would be to 'overnight' it at the ground where you're going to shoot, with an RFD, or as a last resort plod, not possible in the lassie's circumstances. As a last make it inoperable, remove the bolt from a rifle or break the shotgun and keep the bits separate in locked cases as well as the rounds/carts. Wouldn't leave any of the bits in a boot overnight either.
As to the article, bog standard journalism and certainly no worse than I've known before. Anyone that expects accurate reporting is deluded, especially from the tabloids as it wouldn't sell, so you have to treat it that way.