Four arrested after toy rifle sparks alert

Three local men and a 17-year old boy were arrested after they allegedly waved what appeared to be a firearm at passing tourists from their car.

The firearm turned out to be a toy rifle but the Commissioner of Police has highlighted how a seemingly innocuous act could “potentially and very quickly have placed the individuals involved and wider public at unnecessary risk.”

Mr Yome explained that in the current security climate, calls of this nature were processed expeditiously.

In this case, uniformed officers supported by a duty RGP armed patrol had quickly located the individuals and established the circumstances without the incident escalating any further, he said.

The three local men, who are aged between 20 and 22, and the juvenile were arrested for conduct likely to caused a breach of the peace and for being in possession of a minor amount of cannabis.

The arrest came after concerned members of the public contacted police regarding the incident.

Area Response Team officers supported by a duty Armed Response Vehicle then located the vehicle in question shortly afterwards.

A toy rifle was seized from within the vehicle’s boot, together with a minor quantity of herbal cannabis. One of the men was also arrested for being in possession of a bladed article.

All four are currently on police bail.