Armed police called to find teenager playing with painted toy gun

Armed police officers were in Alderley Edge on Sunday, 15th October, following reports of a man carrying what looked like a machine gun which turned out to be a teenage boy with a toy gun.

Officers were called to the fields near Davey Lane at 12.30pm where the informant was concerned about what the male, who was wearing green camouflage gear and a hat which had a green army net covering his face, was doing.

Sgt O'Driscoll said "Officers attended and found a 13 year old boy with a 'Nerf' gun which had been painted. The weapon was seized for destruction and the boy was returned home to be spoken to in the presence of his parents."

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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Marc Asquith
Monday 16th October 2017 at 5:47 pm
http://bit.ly/2xJ7A7c A 13 year old with one of these in Alderley. Who was more stupid, the complainant or the Police ?
Stephen Justice
Monday 16th October 2017 at 8:05 pm
Maybe we need an amnesty and all our kids’ disgracefully dangerous conflict encouraging toys should be volunteered up for “seizing and destruction”.

Or maybe our keen eyed self appointed vigilantes should get a life and our police should focus on more important matters?
Paul Williams
Monday 16th October 2017 at 8:20 pm
Marc and Stephen
I am not sure what else you expect the police to do when they receive a report of "a man carrying a firearm".

Surely, sending armed officers is the correct response.

Who is the stupid one now, Marc?
Steve Scholes
Tuesday 17th October 2017 at 6:41 am
Can you imagine the uproar. member of public rings police to report seeing man with firearm. Police reply oh its probably just a young lad playing with a toy gun we arn"t interested.
Dina Robinson
Tuesday 17th October 2017 at 7:45 am
The boy was well concealed in the undergrowth bordering Beech Close allotments, close to housing and the railway line. Popular area for dog walkers as well. Yes, the complainant probably feels silly now but better safe than sorry. Unfortunately a sign of the times.
Bob Bracegirdle
Wednesday 18th October 2017 at 8:44 am
Two boys once pointed similar at me after a meeting at the Vista centre in Leicester. In the gloom the guns looked real. You bet I phoned the police, who told me to get out of the area (yes, obvious). You never know.
Michael Orange
Friday 27th October 2017 at 2:05 pm
It's sad that the game of Cowboys and Indians, so prevalent in my childhood is denied to modern children, on two counts, politically incorrect and imitation firearms. I simply remember it as fun, with no racial bias, or thoughts of actual harm.Most of us wanted to be indians and persuaded our mothers to make elaborate feather headdresses. Childhood was innocent in those days. I don't think I would want to be a child in the present day.