Police seized a BB gun at the weekend, a spokesman said yesterday. The recovery of the weapon sparked a warning from Assistant Commissioner of Police Antoine Daniels that possession of air-powered weapons was illegal.

He added: “The way that these BB guns are manufactured, they are near-identical replicas of authentic firearms, which makes it difficult for police officers and civilians to recognise the difference, particularly when used during the commission of crime.

“The close resemblance to real firearms can create serious problems for everyone involved.”

Mr Daniels added anyone using a BB gun could put themselves at “significant risk” if confronted by an armed police officer.

He said police would be unable to determine if it was a real firearm or not.

Mr Daniels added that members of the public could also be injured by BB pellets — or “may be intimidated to give in to demands from an individual armed with such a weapon”.

The unloaded BB gun was found near a private dock on Harbour Road, Warwick, on Saturday. The weapon was decommissioned and taken to the police armoury for disposal.

Mr Daniels thanked the member of the public who alerted police and prevented the BB gun from being used “for any nefarious purposes”.