The question of whether it was loaded was not one they could answer.
On a Thursday evening in Efford, Plymouth, a group of boys was pointing what looked like a real handgun at people passing by on Torridge Way. It was just after half past seven when the calls started coming in — residents reporting a gang of youths with a firearm. Police arrived quickly.
When officers reached the scene, they spotted three boys together. Two of them ran. One stayed. That one was detained on the spot, and within a short time officers had established that the weapon was not a real gun at all — it was a BB gun, a realistic-looking imitation that had apparently been enough to frighten the people it was aimed at.
The two who fled didn't get far. Police traced them both, and all three boys — aged 12, 13, and 14 — were arrested on suspicion of possessing an imitation firearm. They were taken to Charles Cross police station, where they spent the night in custody.
By the following day, the 14-year-old had been released on police bail, with conditions running until August 2. The two younger boys, aged 12 and 13, were still being held at the time of reporting.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them by calling 101, emailing 101@dc.police.uk, or reaching Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111, using the reference number CR/64548/21.
The episode is a small but pointed reminder of how convincingly imitation weapons can mimic the real thing — and of the fear that even a replica can produce in a neighborhood on an ordinary summer evening. For the people on Torridge Way who found a gun pointed in their direction, the question of whether it was loaded was not one they could have answered in the moment.
Notable Quotes
All three boys were arrested on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm and taken to Charles Cross police station custody suite where they remained overnight.— Devon and Cornwall Police spokesperson
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
A BB gun isn't a real weapon — why does this rise to the level of arrest?
Because the people on the street didn't know that. When something that looks like a handgun is pointed at you, you react to what you see, not what it technically is.
What charge were the boys actually arrested on?
Suspicion of possessing an imitation firearm. That's a specific offence — it doesn't require the weapon to be capable of firing a real bullet.
Three boys, the youngest only twelve. What does that tell us?
It tells us this wasn't a sophisticated criminal operation. These were children, in a residential street, on a summer evening. That context matters, even if the fear they caused was real.
Two of them ran when police showed up. Does that change anything legally?
It probably doesn't help them. Running suggests awareness that what they were doing was wrong. Police traced them anyway.
The 14-year-old was bailed quickly. The younger two were still in custody. Why the difference?
The story doesn't say explicitly. Age can affect how custody decisions are made — younger children sometimes require different procedures or appropriate adults to be present before anything moves forward.
Is there a broader concern here beyond this one incident?
Imitation firearms are a recurring problem precisely because they're indistinguishable from real ones in the moment. The danger isn't just to bystanders — it's to the person holding one if police have to make a split-second call.