Police: be careful with imitation firearms

Aylmer Police Deputy Chief Nick Novacich is urging anyone owning a replica that looks like a real firearm to take great care with displaying it or how it is stored.

During a traffic stop at 9:45 p.m. on Monday night, Feb. 14, officers found what appeared to be a .357 magnum revolver inside a 17-year-old male’s car.

Nothing drastic resulted, but Deputy Chief Novacich said police, at night and inside a car, could have trouble distinguishing between a real and an imitation firearm.

In this case the “revolver,” seen above, was a BB gun, and the teen explained he and his friends used it responsibly and safely.

The teen was given some tips on ways to keep such an imitation gun out of sight and locked in a case to prevent misunderstandings, accidents or theft, Deputy Chief Novacich said.

“Police cannot tell if your gun is real or fake,” he continued. “Avoid a confrontation. Do not show an imitation gun in public or leave it in a vehicle.”