Armed police arrest boys metres away from school on suspicion of firearms offences

ARMED police officers have arrested a 12-year-old and 13-year-old on suspicion of firearms offences just metres from a primary school.

The incident unfolded shortly before 4pm on Monday when officers received reports of a group of young people appearing to pass a suspicious item between them in Wagtail Mews, Stanway.

Witnesses also said they heard threatening language at the scene and armed police sped to the location to arrest two teenage boys close to Lakelands Primary School.

Concerned – police said it was 'unacceptable' for people to cause fear among residents (Image: Google Street View)

Officers seized a BB gun and a number of ammunition pellets before questioning the two boys on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm.

Both boys have been released under investigation.

Det Chief Insp Rob Huddleston, duty command officer for North Essex, said police acted quickly because it is difficult even for trained officers to be certain whether a firearm is genuine or an imitation.

He said: “Even trained officers often cannot say with 100 per cent certainty whether a firearm is viable or imitation until they can physically examine it, so to those members of the public who took immediate steps to alert us to this, I would really like to thank you for doing so.”

He added that the effects of the offence on members of the public were unacceptable.

Nr Huddleston said: "When these reports came in, they were immediately identified as having a clear impact on members of the public who were in the area at the time – and that is not acceptable.

“This interaction took place in a green area which was being used by families and our immediate priority was their safety.

Speed – police arrived on the scene and arrested the two boys in 15 minutes (Image: Newsquest)

“As a result of the description of the item being passed between people, an armed policing unit was sent to the scene and made two quick arrests and that investigation will now progress appropriately.

“Thankfully, armed incidents in Essex are extremely rare.”

Last year, a man who threatened to shoot his victim during a row at the Rovers Tye pub in Highwoods, Colchester, was given a 21-month prison sentence suspended for two years for possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

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