Teenager with BB gun is held

10:40am Thursday 4th September 2008

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A teenager was arrested after brandishing a gun in Chippenham town centre on Tuesday.

The 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was pointing the weapon, later found to be a BB gun, at people as they walked along New Road at around 11am.

Police were informed after someone dialled 999 in a bid to have the youth detained.

Sergeant Lee Armit, head of the Chippenham Neighbourhood Policing unit, said: "We act robustly on all information concerning weapons and we immediately sent four police officers and a police community support officer to the scene.

"The youth remained in custody all day on Tuesday and was interviewed and released on bail on Wednesday.

"I would always urge anyone who has information on any crime such as this to dial 999 immediately.

"All information will be dealt with in the strictest confidence."

The youth was seen by onlookers to point the weapon at people as they walked past him.

One eyewitness, who was on his way to work at the time, said: "The police response was excellent and they dealt with the situation as though he had a real gun.

"I honestly thought the weapon he was carrying was actually a gun - it looked so realistic.

"You hear on the news all the time about youngsters carrying guns and I thought that the problem might have come to Chippenham. It was frightening really.

"I mean these kids are often quite intimating, but when they are carrying something like that it really freaks you out.

"I am just glad the police teams in Chippenham are so responsive and quick.

"It could have turned out a lot worse even though it was just a BB gun - I remember reading about the incident in Calne earlier in the year when a boy nearly lost his eye because he was shot in the face with one of those guns."

Anyone with more information on the incident, or has information on other similar crimes, is being urged to contact police.

They can either call Chippenham Police on 0845 408 7000, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.