Replica gun sparks armed response

Constable David Bray with a replica firearm that resulted in an armed police call out - prompting a police warning to not carry mock firearms in public. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Northland police are urging people not to carry replica weapons after an imitation firearm sparked an armed police call out.

At 2.30pm on Wednesday, Whangarei police received reports of a gunman running around with a shotgun in the Raumanga area - but enquiries revealed the weapon was a replica.

Armed police rushed to the area after the call out, with tensions already high in the area after the arson of a young couple's house earlier that day.

Detective Sergeant Dave Wilkinson said the person who made the call to police said he "knew his firearms" and was adamant the man was carrying a sawn off shotgun - which proved how similar replica weapons could look to the real thing.

"We have to treat it seriously until proven otherwise," Mr Wilkinson said. "We had another major event going on at the same time, and this was another major event so it stretched resources for a while."

Mr Wilkinson said the incident sparked a message not to carry mock weapons in public.

"Don't carry imitation firearms, in a suspicious manner, in public, or police will act accordingly."

He said the man who was spotted with the replica gun did not realise the fuss it would cause when he brought it out.

"He had no idea of the enormity of the situation, he thought it was just something he'd made."

There were fines and charges that could be issued for carrying a replica weapon but it depended on the circumstances.

There have been two occasions where police have shot and killed people carrying real guns in Whangarei.

On November 20, 1995, Barry Radcliffe was shot and killed by an armed officer after taking a rifle from a sporting goods store in Rust Ave.

On October 23, 2008, methamphetamine addict Lee Jane Mettam was shot in the doorway of a shop in Reyburn St. Mettam had held a staff member hostage.

She died at the scene.