Members of the public have been calling Sussex Police, worried about people apparently carrying firearms in public — which are air weapons or air soft guns.
These calls have led the county's police service to set out guidelines about legal use of such weapons (and those sometimes called "BB guns", though these are technically different).
Officers said the advice is aimed mainly at young people, parents and carers from families or groups where such devices might be kept legally.
It follows call-outs involving armed officers attending incidents in Selsey and Horsham.
In both cases, police reported, the weapons seen were not viable firearms, but looked realistic and caused public concern.
Both incidents were entirely avoidable, officers concluded, had the people involved taken what police called "sensible steps" not to have the items in public.
The advice given is:
- All air weapons and air soft guns must be used on private property.
- The permission of the property owner must be given, in order for such weapons to be legally present.
- They must also be two-tone in colour to clearly demarcate them from being an illegal firearm.
Inspector Oli Fisher from Sussex Police’s Tactical Firearms Unit said:
"BB guns and air weapons are legal to buy and many people in the county will own them.
"It is important for everyone who owns or handles one to make sure they understand the law and stay within it.
"In some cases, items are made to look more realistic by being repainted.
"If the colour of the items is changed to make them look like a real firearm, this risks causing unnecessary concern to the general public.
"In these circumstances, armed response officers will often be deployed to respond to these concerns from the public.
"This puts the owner or handler at risk of being arrested and getting a criminal conviction, and it also puts the public at risk if our armed officers are busy responding to these concerns when they may be needed at a critical incident elsewhere."
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