Toy guns spark fear (From Your Local Guardian)

Toy guns spark fear

7:00am Tuesday 17th February 2009

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Toy guns on sale in Streatham, which have been withdrawn from shelves, could be mistaken for real weapons, residents fear.

Berni Hoy, a retired Royal Air Force armourer from Mitcham, raised concerns over the toy guns after spotting children buying them from a Streatham Vale newsagent.

According to Mr Hoy, the guns, which could easily be confused for real weapons in the dark, were bought by the children for self defence.

“Kids don’t play cowboys and Indians anymore,” he said. “These kids said they’d use the guns for protection. Any form of gun is dangerous, even a toy and at night and in the heat of the moment they can look just like real guns.”

Ken Patel, 58, owner of the newsagent where the toys were bought, said the guns were legal and did not look like real firearms - but he had removed them from display as a precaution.

He said: “They’re not really a big seller for me anyway - if it helps make the community safer that’s good as well.”

Youngsters playing with toy guns that look real put their safety at risk, as police must respond to any credible report of someone believed to be carrying a firearm with an armed response.

Speaking about the dangers of replica weapons, Streatham Labour Party candidate Chuka Umunna, said: “I think we - as a community - need to ask ourselves why our young people feel the need to arm themselves.

“I do not remember guns being so prevalent when I was growing up here.

“In my view, what we see is partly linked to the proliferation of gangs leading to teen violence in south London.”

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