Police were called to a road in Childwall, Liverpool, after a 15-year-old boy was spotted carrying what is believed to have been a gun and he has now been taken into custody where he is being questioned
A 15-year-old boy was spotted carrying what is believed to have been a gun in the street leading to police swarming the area in a major search before he was found and detained.
Officers were called to Merthyr Grove, Childwall, Liverpool, just after 3.05pm to reports of the suspicious item being seen in the teenager’s pocket. The boy was later arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm without a certificate and he has been taken into police custody to be interviewed. Police say that there is no suggestion the item was used to threaten or harm anyone.
The youth is believed to have made his way from Inchcape Road and officers detained him on Chelwood Avenue at around 3.30pm. There was a large police presence in the area and officers at the scenes officers from Merseyside Police were seen conducting door-to-door enquiries.
Sniffer dogs were searching grass and trees on Bowring Park Road opposite the houses. They were also seen in people’s front gardens in the area and officers were spotted on the Greystone Foot Bridge over the M62 motorway.
Confirming the arrest, a spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: “A 15-year-old male from Childwall was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm without a certificate and taken into custody to be interviewed.
“Following a search of the male no weapon has been seized and officers are conducting a thorough forensic examination of the scene. Detectives are speaking to potential witnesses and exploring CCTV opportunities in the area.”
Detective Inspector Mike Fletcher said: “Merseyside Police comprehensively investigates all reports relating to firearms and other weapons, and is relentless in its pursuit of offenders.
“We are grateful to the members of the public who reported this incident, and we have been able to make a swift arrest as a result. Officers will remain in the area conducting an extensive search as we seek to get a full understanding of what happened.
“We have worked hard over a number of years to bring down the number of firearms on our streets and will do everything in our power to prevent them being stored, carried and used here in Merseyside to make Merseyside a safer place to live and work.
“We use every resource at our disposal to make sure anyone responsible for such heinous crimes faces justice, and I hope the long jail terms handed out recently demonstrate that Merseyside Police and the justice system take the use of such weapons extremely seriously.
“Communities can and are taking a stand to make the streets safer, and information from the public has been a vital part of our efforts to bring those prepared to carry and use firearms to justice.”