North Essex: police call for airgun caution

9:14pm Monday 12th May 2008

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A SPATE of airgun incidents has forced police to warn youngsters about using them in public.

Officers were called on five different occasions to reports of nuisance behaviour or criminal damage in Colchester, Tiptree and Clacton over the weekend.

The first call came to a home in Chestnut Way, Tiptree, after a ball-bearing (BB) gun was fired at a garden, hitting someone standing inside.

The incident happened at about 7.40pm on Saturday, but no one is thought to have been seriously injured.

At about 5.30pm on Sunday, officers were called to Hedge Drive in Colchester.

Someone was seen firing a BB gun into a fence beside the house, but pellets were flying through the fence into the garden.

The caller was concerned that the family was enjoying the good weather outside and someone could be injured.

Less than two hours later, at 7.05pm, officers were asked to "give advice" to a youth who was firing his air pistol out of a bedroom window in East Stockwell Street.

It is thought that the boy was aiming to hit birds rather than people.

There was a similar nuisance incident in Clacton, as well as a report of criminal damage in the town that had been caused by an air pellet.

Crime reduction officer Colin Stiff said: "Using these weapons in, on or around public areas is an offence. There is a health and safety issue and a common sense issue.

"Anyone caught firing these weapons in a public place or at private property will be dealt with swiftly and firmly."